Twilight River
by ShadowStained
Summary: I was so excited to be a ninja that I really didn't think about anything else. Who cares about plot? I just wanna enjoy my second shot at life! A story in which I learn that life sometimes just doesn't wanna have fun. Spoiler: I make the most of it! Usually.
1. A Ripple in the Ocean

**Twilight River**

 _Chapter 1_

 _A Ripple in the Ocean_

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, however this main character is my creation._

 _Summary: I was so excited to be a ninja that I really didn't think about anything else. Who cares about plot? I just wanna enjoy my second shot at life! A story in which I learn that life sometimes just doesn't wanna have fun. Spoiler: I make the most of it!_

* * *

Life can be compared to a river. Rivers are strong and fierce, fighting through all but the hardest of things. Rivers can be brought to an end but there will always be a crack that the water can force its way through. Water is a force of nature in its own right; water carves its own paths. Life is like a river because even when a life ends some of that life can continue going.

What, don't believe me?

My life ended at the age of twenty-one. It was abrupt and very uncool. Despite going out in such an unexciting and boring way as I did, I didn't quite stay dead. I didn't know what to expect from death. Would I meet some being known as God? Or would there just be blank nothingness? Would I just be extinguished from existence with a simple poof? Whatever was supposed to happen though did not happen. My soul, very much like that trickle from that river, found a way through the cracks and into another river that became its own.

While life is like a river, birth is more like a waterfall. Noisy, scary, and something you really want to avoid. I went almost straight from dying to birth and if I had the option I would have held the fuck on to that uterus and refused to leave. It was warm there and all that noise was muffled. However I went out head first and horribly confused. You don't realize you're being born until after you've been pushed out and the cold air hits you and you just want to go back in.

I was covered in this gross slime and my nose and every other crevice was filled. I couldn't breathe but some nice person cleared out my nose and I inhaled nice and deep. Wherever I was I thought it smelled a lot like blood, sweat, and something incredibly gross. When the object I was leaning on moved me I made what likely sounded like a squeak because I was not expecting my chair to move.

Now again, I wasn't expecting to be born. Considering I wasn't dead I thought I was in a hospital. And generally when you're born you're born in a hospital. Well I wasn't born in a hospital. I opened my eyes and despite how blurry and generally hard to make out everything was, I knew I wasn't in a hospital from the colors around me. Opening my eyes also led me to mentally scream "GIANTS!" because I was being held like an infant in someone's arm.

I was handed off to another giant and this one cooed down at me. The giant holding me now was clearly a woman with fire engine red hair and incredibly round eyes. She bounced me a bit and cooed at me and that is when a very small light bulb went off in my head. Why, I thought to myself, why is this giant treating me like a baby?

It took a few minutes before I realized that yes, I was this giants baby and she probably wasn't actually a giant.

New mom bounced me and cooed over me despite clearly being tired. She kissed my forehead several times and kept babbling to me. Later on I would remember everything she said and know but at that moment the odd language she was using didn't strike any bells. She uttered a last few meaningful words, kissed my head, and wiped her eyes on her shoulder because she was tearing up. I thought she was crying out of joy.

I was handed back to the original set of arms and another woman, who I identified as a woman because she had long hair, fussed over my new mom. I was shifted so that I could see who was holding me and this was another woman with fire engine red hair. Although her hair was definitely longer than my new mom's. The woman took me away from that room and bundled me up like a present. She took me outside the shack I was born in, and it really looked like a shack even with my garbage eyesight, and brought me away from it.

That was the last time I ever saw the woman who was my new mom.

The red haired lady kept me for a few days. The other lady visited often and there were vague other faces that popped in. There was a blonde woman with a deeper voice and a kid who sounded not very pleased to meet me. Now I say kid but I really mean teenager. It wasn't that this kid didn't like me, because he absolutely loved me if no one was around. Rather he was terrified of me. He didn't want to hold me and if he had to have extended contact with me he would get antsy and make, what I assumed to be, any excuse possible to get him away.

However it was probably a week or two into my existence that I was handed off to a stern faced woman with her hair pulled into a tight bun. It was starting to gray in some places and that only added to the fact this woman looked like the crankiest old coot I had ever seen. Well this woman took me and I was given the first proper crib to sleep in as I had been left to sleep in different places by the red haired woman, dark haired woman, and occasionally the blonde woman.

From there on I hardly saw the women who had originally taken me in. They did visit maybe once a month if I had to guess a time frame. I continued to grow like a weed and I was able to sit up and babble at my visitors after a few months. But one day, many months after I was born when I was able to roll around and pull myself up the bars on my crib, there was a night that changed everything. I could talk in fragments, demand food or drink, but that night there was no one who came to help me when I screamed and cried. It was like the air itself could burn you. Every child in what I had learned to be the orphanage was screaming along with me. Even after the air was gone we all screamed our throats raw.

I did not see the pretty woman with long red hair again, and the other woman rarely stopped by when I was supposed to be asleep. Gradually I grew. I learned how to talk, walk, and other childhood necessities. I was moved out of the crib room when I was three and somehow I managed to become the most disliked child at that orphanage. Well, the children didn't hate me as young as three. But the matron, Kotoko-san, despised me. I learned relatively quickly to be nimble and quick to avoid being in her way.

Three years old was when life really started to pick up, oddly enough.

.

The orphanage had a yard that was small to an adult but large to children. The orphanage was overfilled and as soon as I could run I was thrown outside with the older kids to make room inside. Kids were slowly being adopted and making room but until then there was never enough room inside for all the orphans to play without causing some kind of havoc or destruction.

My first day outside went fine for about five minutes. I waddled around and examined the plant life that grew wildly in the unkempt backyard. The fence was only tall enough so that kids under the age of five couldn't escape but if you were an especially tall child you could easily vault over it and leave. The wall was stone brick and my little fingers could get a deep enough grip in the worn grooves.

That day I didn't vault over the wall. Instead I looked around at the colorful rooftops that I could see from standing on the broken slide. Then I turned around to see behind me and I was punched in the gut with a big fuck you. Standing high above even the tallest buildings was a mountain face with large faces carved into them. I almost stumbled off the broken slide but caught myself as my body began to shake.

Staring at me with a vengeance were the faces of anime characters come to life.

I got off the slide and hid behind the tree in the corner of the yard. It was always damp and smelly behind that tree but I liked it well enough that I went back in the days that followed. I thought about my situation with my body still shaking and I realized my body wasn't trembling in fear.

I was excited.

A world full of new things awaited me. Danger and new knowledge to feed my hungry brain! I already knew at the age of three that I wanted to become someone so smart, someone so strong, that I would achieve a flee on sight in the Bingo books. How to begin? How could I start my career already?

I went through several plans. Get adopted by a ninja. Train myself and suddenly rise among my peers when I could eventually attend the academy. But the problem is I had far too much energy in my body to just sit around and wait. I was already antsy, wanting to walk on walls and shoot fireballs out of my mouth! I wondered if I had a cool bloodline? I wanted a cool bloodline. Looking at my hands I was pale white so I was a potential forgotten Uchiha!

I spent the rest of that afternoon staring intently at the centipedes and spiders behind the tree in efforts to unlock my sharingan.

The next day I was already bored of waiting around. I wanted to get started on my ninja ways now! I ran around the yard like a wild woman for awhile but that knocked me out come nap time so I decided I would work on my intelligence first. I was always more of a thinker than a mover. Of course I had energy in my past life but I felt like my body was simply going to explode if I didn't move around now! Was this how kids felt?

I loved learning, if you were curious. But I had one big problem and that was I couldn't read. Before outside time one morning, I asked if I could learn to read from one of the helpers. She looked at me and pushed me outside, telling me to go play. My speaking was still not the best but that didn't meant I didn't want to learn! Reading, in my opinion, was way easier to learn than speaking. Immersion of course helped but damn it I there was so much opportunity in this world!

What did I want to learn first when I could read books? Medical ninjutsu sounded amazing! But I wanted to be able to fight so I considered fuinjutsu. Oh but swords! Kenjutsu! And of course I definitely was interested in ninjutsu but who wouldn't be? I wanted to spew fire as soon as possible!

Alas no one wanted to teach me to read so I came up with my next plan: Capturing the heart of a mentor figure. I figured I could find myself a Jiraiya around the village if I wandered around and showed above average intellect.

As I said, climbing over the fence wasn't the hardest thing I had ever done. The helpers weren't really passionate about the kids so they didn't usually notice if one or several hopped the wall when they weren't looking. Usually the kids were too stupid to jump over the wall if they weren't old enough to go out on their own but I was clearly not your average child. Also, I usually sat behind the tree so the helpers would assume I was there until they realized I wasn't.

Well I climbed the wall behind the tree and rolled over it like a professional. I didn't expect the drop though. It turns out the street was much lower than the fence and the yard was raised up to keep the building level. So I probably fell much further than I should have. I landed on my back and had the air knocked out of me with a pronounced fuck.

Nothing was broken because I got right the fuck up and hurried away from the orphanage before anyone tried to take me back. You know, if someone witnessed my graceful fall from the wall. I wandered about for awhile, just observing the streets. I kept to the back roads so that no one tried to take the obviously young child back to where she belonged.

I also got my first real look at myself in a decorative mirror. I was an adorable child with a round face and chubby cheeks. My eyes were a blue-purple color and my hair not quite firetruck red like my mothers, but still an obnoxious red color that had a bit of a purple tint to it. I had thick eyelashes and wide, oval shaped eyes that made me look way more innocent than I actually was.

As I was pulling at my face in the mirror someone stepped up behind me. I looked at the dark chest in the mirror and wondered what the heck this person wanted. I turned around and looked up to find not quite what I was expecting. I was expecting some adult but what I got was a kid who was older than me but definitely not old enough where I would think they knew shit. He had black hair and matching eyes but a warmer skin tone than mine.

He crossed his arms, "Did you get lost from your parents, little miss?"

"What 'bout you?" I replied, crossing my arms as well and jutting out my bottom lip.

He pointed to the headband across his forehead with his thumb, "I'm a ninja. You're a little young to be out by yourself? Did you sneak away for an adventure? Hm?"

He had a teasing smile and I pulled my lip back in, "I'm a big kid."

"Sure. Where do you live? I'll walk you home now. Your mom's probably having a heart attack." he asked gently.

I put my hands on my hips, "Def' not."

The boy crouched down so he was more at my level, "I'm sure she definitely is. That's a mom's job y'know."

"My mom's not around no more." I told him, "How 'bout dat?"

Frowning, he questioned, "Are you from one of the orphanages?"

"No." I answered quickly-apparently too quickly.

Humming he looked over my clothes and pulled the tag from the back of my collar while I struggled to stop him. He glanced at it and then let go.

"How about this." he told me with a smile, "I'll buy you a popsicle if you go back with me afterwards."

That was tempting. The orphanage rarely had anything good to eat, even for dessert, and I would kill for ice cream.

I narrowed my eyes, "Wha' kind?"

"I like green tea. We can share one."

"Never had." I huffed and he stood up and held out a hand to me.

I stared at it and he offered, "Try it?"

I put my hand in his and he led me to the nearest store. It was on the main street and I looked around in amazement at the fact everyone was way taller than me. The boy leading me was watching with an amused expression until he ordered a popsicle from a stand and we sat down on a bench. It was green and faded to white towards the bottom of the sticks. He broke it in half and handed me one. I took it and experimentally licked the green part.

I gave the boy a scandalized look and he took a full on bite of his. He laughed, "Kind of bitter, right?"

I nodded but took a bite of mine like he did, suspecting there was more than what met the eye here. Biting it somehow made the green tea taste better and I gave him a confused look. But he didn't say more and just ate away at his popsicle. I was still working on mine when he finished and I had sticky hands when I was done. The boy didn't seem to know what to do about the mess I made of myself but he still held out a hand for me anyway.

I grabbed it and relished in the fact that I could feel the gross popsicle residue squishing into his hand. As we walked and our hands got warmer it got worse and I bet he was regretting his decision to not just find a napkin or something to wipe my hands with.

"What orphanage do you live in?" the boy asked me as we made it back to where he had found me.

I smiled brightly, "Dunno!"

The boy suddenly looked like he regret his life decisions.

We ended up walking around until we found a building I recognized. Well, I recognized my tree. I stood at the spot and pointed upwards, "Up!"

The boy looked up, "Up?"

I nodded, "Lift me."

He made a face, "I'm going to have to bring you to the matron, you know."

I scowled and came up with the best bullshittery I could, "We had popsicles together. So we friends now. Friends help friends."

The boy seemed to be contemplating what I said when a stern voice at the other end of the alley yelled, "Miyako!"

I froze immediately. Miyako was my name. That voice was not a nice voice. It was absolutely Kotoko-san yelling my name.

I looked at the boy with haunted eyes and sniffled, "Ne, ne. I gotta pee!"

The boy looked alarmed, "I-what?"

"I gots to pee! I can't pee without nee-chan! I can't reach the toilet!" I was pulling very impressive bullshit out, if you were curious.

"MIYAKO DON'T THINK I DON'T SEE YOU!"

The boy gave me an unimpressed look, "Is your name Miyako-chan?"

"Maybe." I conceded. I tried my best but just didn't succeed.

"Yes." Kotoko-san's face changed immediately when she saw who was holding my hand, "Thank you so much Uchiha-san for bringing her home! She's such a rascal this one!"

Kotoko-san took my hand from the Uchiha-san's and she gripped it bone-breakingly tight. I winced as she bowed to Uchiha-san and she almost dragged me down towards the front of the orphanage.

Uchiha-san called, "Goodbye, Miyako-chan! See you again!"

The front door was up a few steps that my legs hardly even touched and i was tossed into the front room where Kotoko-san slammed the door shut.

"You're lucky today wasn't a visitors day! How would our reputation look if one of our young orphans escaped!?" Kotoko-san yelled, grabbing one of the sandals in the genkan and smacking me on the head with it. I grabbed my head and sniffled as tears came to my eyes. She whacked me on the back a few more times as I slipped my shoes off and ran down the hall to the room I shared with several other young girls. But I went to sleep thinking that Uchiha-san said he would see me again, and did he really accept my bullshit about being friends?

I curled up on my futon, aware that I wasn't getting dinner tonight, and I held my aching head. The next morning I would wake up sore all over, probably from my fall from the top of the fence as well as Kotoko-san's sandals. I wasn't allowed outside for a month after that event but that actually led to something decent.

.

I was supposed to be washing the floor the day the Hokage visited. The Sandaime Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi was old with spots across aged tan skin. He looked like your typical old man except in the fact he had this aura that could overpower you. I cleaned like I was supposed to until I realized what he was talking about in the room through the conveniently cracked door I was conveniently cleaning next to.

The Hokage, with all the five year olds sat around him, was giving a speech about the academy. It was a long speech that included a lot of things about ninja and the glorious will of fire. I found myself pulled in by his charisma but because I was mentally older than these kids I recognized that he was glorifying the profession. Orphans were probably pretty convenient fodder for the front lines during war time.

After the five year olds all left, he spoke with Kotoko-san and I went back to cleaning the floor for real. I was very surprised when the door swung open and I found the Hokage himself staring down at me with twinkling eyes.

Kotoko-san made an especially nasty look from behind the Hokage, "I'm so sorry, Hokage-sama, she's very energetic and-"

The Hokage chuckled, "Of course she is. This is Uzumaki Miyako isn't it?"

I had a last name? More importantly, I had a clan last name? And most, most importantly, I was an Uzumaki!?

Kotoko-san looked pained to respond, "Well, yes."

"Uzumaki's are known for their boundless energy and vitality. I'm impressed she was able to watch from the door the entire time I was speaking. Especially with how much chakra she seems to have already." the Hokage mentioned, "Miyako-chan, do you usually feel restless?"

I did feel like I had boundless energy as he said. Honestly, I just thought the energy was a normal kid thing. I remember being something like this in my last life when I was younger and as I got older I managed to focus it into reading and activities.

I nodded and he hummed, "Do you want to be a shinobi, Miyako-chan?"

"Yes!" I answered without a single pause. Kotoko-san looked away in anger.

"Can you read yet?" the Hokage inquired.

I shook my head, "I wanna learn."

"If you learn by your fourth birthday then maybe I can let you join the academy a little earlier than usual." the Hokage offered. He had mirth in his eyes and I don't think he expected I could actually do it.

I nodded aggressively, "Please! I'll learn."

"Then it's a deal. On your fourth birthday if you can pass the entrance exam for the academy you can join a year early." the Hokage promised and I shook with excitement. He spoke longer with Kotoko-san but I didn't listen as I hurried to finish my punishment chores so that I could bug a helper to teach me.

The helper I ended up finding was the helper who helped everyday inside when I should have been outside. Her name was Mibumi and she wore big silly glasses that made her eyes look like little dots. Mibumi seemed very interested in teaching me how to read and I was glad I found an actual nice and decent human being in this forsaken orphanage. Every day for the rest of my third year of living I studied hard.

It was impossible to get my attention when I was studying. I hyper focused on books and managed to funnel my energy into that. I would go hours without doing anything else until I would have to go eat dinner. I was out of Kotoko-san and the other helper's way while I studied but every so often Kotoko-san would find a reason to hit me with something light. I was often blamed for stealing desserts from the kitchen and after awhile of being blamed for it I actually started doing it. I mean, if I was getting the punishment regardless I might as well get the sweets! I was caught a few times in the beginning but naturally I got better at being sneaky and I also got better at what I assumed was sensing with chakra.

Chakra was a fun thing, by the way. Sometimes at night, when I couldn't sleep, I could feel it there. It flowed through my body like a river that I could direct. It was soothing to just move it through and feel the parts of my body. I would drift off to sleep feeling like I was floating on my back in the ocean, rocking in the waves. It was the greatest feeling considering my actual body was laying on a less than comfortable futon.

As my fourth birthday got closer and closer I got better and better with my reading. I memorized hiragana entirely and katakana, though very, very rarely used, I could recognize. Kanji, a personal hell for most Japanese learners, was the struggle it was expected to be. Mibumi actually smuggled me a book on the most necessary kanji to know for daily life before she got let go. I was sad, but Kotoko-san probably did it because she realized I was actually learning how to read rapidly. I went from the basic picture books, to light comic novels intended for my age, to actual light novels in months.

My fourth birthday came quickly. I was born in the dead of February where Konoha was able to rarely get snow. It was never cold enough here for snow but according to Mibumi it had snowed only in February a few times. The academy year would be changing in the spring so I was timed perfectly to join the newest class if I passed the test. That morning I woke up and went through my entire book on kanji before one of the helpers wrote down directions on how to get to the academy.

The walk to the academy was longer than I expected and by the time I got there I was freezing in the morning chill. Inside it was warm though and a lady led me to the room where a rather grumpy looking man sat at a desk. He looked up when I came in and appraised me.

"Uzumkai Miyako?" he questioned.

I nodded energetically, "Yessir!"

He sighed, "Sit down. You have two hours to take this test."

I plopped down at the first desk where there was already a few papers waiting for me. I flipped them over and began by writing my name.

うずまき 美夜子

Then the test began for real.

It wasn't the worst test in the world considering it was meant for children. There were some history questions I knew from knowing Naruto lore, and the math questions were only a problem when I didn't know some of the vocabulary. Reading was simple because all the kanji it had were from the daily kanji book and there were only one or two where I had no idea what they were.

I finished the test with forty minutes left and I handed it in confidently. I was allowed to leave after the sensei made sure to check I answered everything. On my walk home I wanted nothing more than to run into Uchiha-san and demand he buy me another popsicle as a reward for being so awesome.

Sadly, that day I did not run into Uchiha-san.

I did receive my marks on the test a few days later with an acceptance letter for the academy and a note from the Hokage himself congratulating me on passing the test.

Watch out! Uzumaki Miyako is on her way to becoming the smartest, most badass ninja out there!

* * *

 **AN:**

 **I wanted to write a main character much happier than Fushicho from Out of the Ashes. Miyako is intended to be happy, smart, and generally a nice person. She of course has her sarcastic, satirical adult side and she will undergo character development to give her a more in depth personality but I just wanted someone who isn't angsting for her whole life. As of now though Miyako is interested in two things: Learning and becoming strong and cool.**

 **That being said, this story is planned out way better than OotA lmao.**

 **I hope you enjoy! Please review and leave thoughts, comments, concerns and constructive criticism. Specifically the constructive kind.**

 **What genre should this be? I'm labeling it Humor/Drama, but romance will be a heavy feature and I want three genre slots damn it**

 **QotC : Who do you think Uchiha-san is?**


	2. I Want to Learn!

**Twilight River**

 _Chapter 2_

 _I Want to Learn!_

* * *

After the letter arrived that stated I was accepted into the academy, Kotoko-san became suddenly worse. Instead of being smacked with her sandal on my back or head she would lash at any limb I couldn't retract fast enough or even my face if my head was too close. If someone ever asked about the marks on me during visitors day then Kotoko-san would tell them it was from ninja training and proudly show off that she had raised an early academy student.

And well, while I was absolutely aware I wasn't being treated right, I was taking it in stride. I kind of agreed in that it was training me. My reflexes got better and I got used to the pain of the strikes. In the academy no one would have the same strength as Kotoko-san for awhile, I was sure. So I never complained and I stopped crying by the time my first day at the academy started.

On my walk there it wasn't hard to tell apart the clan kids, the civilians, and the orphans. The clan kids already had nice supplies and walked with this arrogant air even if they weren't actually arrogant people. The civilians were shy and excited, the girls wearing cute dresses and the boys wearing new shoes. The orphans were shabbier than the civilians. They had a rougher air from having to live in overstuffed orphanages and play fighting in ways other kids would be scolded for. Our clothes had holes in them because they were hand me downs and we looked physically dirtier. Showering and bathing in our orphanage was usually reserved for days before visitors came or when a child was too filthy or smelly to handle. I wasn't sure if the other orphanages were better but who would know?

There were a lot of classes for the new kids and I was sure the weak ones would be weeded out throughout the year. What was probably every orphan in the village probably tried out for the academy. I myself had walked out with half of the five year olds who made it past the entrance exam with what little reading and writing they had been able to pick up from the tutor who stopped in once a week specifically for the four year olds who wanted to attend the academy when they turned five.

I found my name in class 1-B, the second highest class available. Apparently the score you got on the entrance exam determined where you were placed and I was relatively high considering the letters went down to H and I was towards the higher part of the list of the thirty three kids per class. The entrance ceremony was short and the Hokage gave a speech about the Will of Fire and then congratulated us on entering the academy. The parents all stuck around to encourage their kids to make friends while the instructors struggled to get ready after the speech.

The orphans somehow managed to attract each other and we all awkwardly stood around looking at each other. One of the bigger kids was a boy from my orphanage and he was one of several Ryu's on the board who didn't have a last name. He was as average as all the other Ryu's in all ways except for the fact he was bigger than most of the other kids.

"Huh, it's Mibaka!" Ryu announced when he saw me standing off to the side, "What're you doin' here? You're too small!"

I narrowed my eyes at him, "I scored higher than you, so you'd better find a better name if you wanna look tough, stupid."

Ryu gave a haughty laugh, "Mibaka!"

"Mibaka!" a few other kids giggled. Ryu made himself the leader of the new orphans and I promptly left the circle to see if I could find kids I recognized from canon. I wasn't actually sure how old I was in comparison to them but I was really hoping to not run into anyone familiar.

There were a few strange hair colors but not too many and eventually the classes were called by their senseis. When we were led to our classroom everyone took their seats with most of the class migrating towards the back. I took an aisle seat towards the middle of the rows. The first day was mostly just outlining the course and I was disappointed to find that the first year of the academy didn't learn anything too cool. We meditated to find our chakra but didn't even do an exercise with it until next year. Sparring did start halfway through our year but we focused heavily on exercise and book work for the year.

I flourished in the academy. I didn't spend much time at the orphanage anymore because after class I would head straight to the library to read on subjects that interested me. Being an Uzumaki I searched for books on my clan but I was stared down by the librarian and denied access to those books. Apparently you had to be a chunin! I was very not pleased with that but I managed to find a book on sealing that I was able to check out as well as a book on chakra theory.

The academy's first year was rather simple for me in terms to learning. I was able to do most of the beginner math they gave us and I learned the terms I couldn't recognize in written form. I knew the basics of history and I soaked up what I didn't know from Naruto canon. They focused heavily on reading, writing and speaking for the first year because they wanted us to converse more intelligently.

I had a lot of free time because of how easy the year was so I was able to work on my side reading. The exercise the academy expected of the students was surprisingly harsh with escalating difficulty. They went through stretching and simple exercises before expecting us to be able to run the mile. Obstacle courses were common and a few kids ended up knocking out teeth from slamming face first into obstacles. My time wasn't the fastest for the obstacle course because the clan kids glided almost effortlessly through the easier ones.

The civilian kids fared the worst with the physical tests but the orphans were the worst at the general studies. I was a bit of an outcast because I spent most of my time reading up on things I didn't already know. In fact, my sensei was suspecting me of cheating until one day he ran into me at the library.

I didn't notice him at first because of the dictionary I was flipping through in my efforts to figure out a kanji I didn't know. It was time consuming because I couldn't even begin to tell you what sound it started with so I had to go through the entire dictionary and hope it wasn't on the last page. Goro-sensei, the grumpy man who gave me my entrance exam, looked over my shoulder and I wouldn't have even noticed if his shadow hadn't covered me.

I looked up in surprise, "Sensei?"

"Fuinjutsu basics?" Goro-sensei remarked in surprise, "Why are you looking through this, Miyako?"

I smiled, "Uzumaki's are good seal users, right?"

He nodded, "True. You're an orphan aren't you? How do you know about being an Uzumaki?"

"Hokage-sama told me!" I boasted and Goro-sensei's eyebrows rose so far they disappeared behind his bangs.

I returned to my book and Goro-sensei continued to look over my shoulder as I flipped through the dictionary. Then he pulled out the chair next to me and leaned over, "What kanji are you looking for?"

I pointed it out and he told me what it was. On the journal I was keeping as my own dictionary, I jotted it down and Goro-sensei flipped through my actual notes notebook.

"I had been thinking you were cheating, considering your grades. But you enjoy learning, don't you?" Goro-sensei said as he flipped through the pages.

I nodded my head gently, "I do. I want to know things."

"And have you learned anything about fuinjutsu?" he questioned.

I stared at my notebook before confessing, "It's slow. The vocabulary makes me struggle sometimes. And it seems to be an art that you need a teacher for because not much is written down about it."

Goro-sensei agreed, "Fuinjutsu is a very complicated art that not many can pick up. It's good to be studying something you're interested in but don't try to actually seal anything unless you have a teacher supervising you. It's a dangerous thing to learn even for adults."

I promised him I wouldn't attempt anything and he flipped through the other notebooks I had. Kotoko-san disliked me but she bought a supply of notebooks for all the academy students and I grabbed as many as I could before they were all gone. The same thing for the crappy pencils she gave us. She didn't give us anything else and told us to work for anything else we needed.

Goro-sensei watched me work for about an hour until he looked at the time.

"It's a bit late, isn't it?" he questioned. I looked at the ancient clock on the wall. It was almost time for the library to close at nine pm.

I started to clean up my things and sort them into the piles I was taking back to the orphanage with me, "I stay until closing usually."

"Don't you miss dinner?" Goro-sensei inquired as I struggled to contain all my books in my arms.

"If I'm hungry then I'll just sneak some snacks." I told him. Goro-sensei followed me to the door as I dropped my stack on a table and put the books I wasn't taking on the cart to be refiled. Of course I would be taking them back the next day and the librarian watched me with an amused expression. Academy students were only allowed so many books at a time, and only certain books, so I was often leaving a chunk of my research at the library. This included the dictionary because it was fat.

Goro-sensei walked with me a few blocks as I carried my books close to my chest.

"You're a good kid, Miyako-chan." Goro-sensei told me as we split ways. He ruffled my hair, "Keep at it."

I went home feeling warm and fuzzy inside. I must have been glowing with praise because when Kotoko-san saw me she grumbled under her breath and swatted at me. I stole some cookies that night and was perfectly fine with the yelling I got the next morning when Kotoko-san assumed it was me.

.

The first day we learned how to throw kunai was an experience. All the clan kids were able to do so already so they were moved onto shuriken, if they didn't know that already, and the orphans and civilians were thrown together. Goro-sensei, who was a hardass who you would think hated kids by how he often acted as a teacher, grunted out instructions. He lectured us on the basic way to throw a kunai and we all got a log to throw shit at. There was no target today: you just had to get the kunai to stick on the log somewhere.

Kunai were kind of harder to throw than you would expect. They were actual metal, as in we were using real kunai, so they were heavy and I often arched my throws. Most of the kids didn't have the strength or knowledge of how to throw a kunai perfectly straight so a lot of kunai were ending up everywhere. Goro-sensei helped the worst kids and watched the kind of proficient ones while giving a bit of advice.

When he got to me he watched for a few moments, "Flick your wrist more. A sharper motion will make it straighter."

I did so with little trouble but my kunai still arched, although less so than before. Goro-sensei made an acceptable grunt and moved on.

Basking in praise, as I always did, I moved to get ready to throw my next one. Before I knew it there was a sharp pain in my thigh and I found a kunai stick out of the side. I looked in the direction the handle was facing and Ryu looked both horrified and proud.

"I-I didn't mean to-" he began and I pushed back tears as I tried to move and kunai jiggled. He was a few kids over and Goro-sensei was making his way back over after noticing the injury.

Ryu swallowed, "I wanted to make you jump and scare you!"

Goro-sensei knelt down to look at the kunai protruding from my thigh before he yanked it out in a sharp, clean motion. I gasped and sniffled as blood started to drip out of the gash. He told me to go see the school's medic and as I hobbled away he started to lecture Ryu on how kunai are weapons meant to kill enemies and are not toys to be used to try and scare your classmates.

The school's medic had me sit down and she looked it over, "Well it's not too deep. The kid who threw it definitely got you good though. I'll heal it so it doesn't scar."

Medical chakra, I quickly learned, felt fucking awkward. My own chakra didn't know what to do about it so I was keenly aware of the medical chakra shifting through that area and rebuilding my leg. The medic didn't say anything about how I was reacting so I assumed it was normal to not know what on earth was going on.

She apologized after a moment, "I apologize for the feeling. It takes more chakra for it to feel pleasant and if you're injured on the field the medic is likely to heal you this way. It's intended to be a learning experience."

The pain went away after a few minutes of my wound slowly being knit back together and seal itself up. When she was done she had me sit for a few minutes to make sure my leg was fine. As I sat, still as a statue, I watched the medic at her desk. She was doing paperwork and seemed relatively at ease. When a few minutes passed she handed me a lollipop and sent me on my way.

When I got back to class it was almost time for book work so my leg didn't bother me too much. For the next few days Ryu laid off me but that led to most of the other kids taking their turns at me. For whatever reason, probably because I was a nerd, the other kids enjoyed teasing me. My hair wasn't long enough to pull or put gum in but they liked trying to trip me, shooting spitballs at my back, hiding my things, leaving me out at recess. It escalated quickly after the kunai incident and they decided that they could gang up on me, push me around since there wasn't too much of a penalty for harming someone as long as it could be fixed.

I didn't really care too much. They couldn't hurt as much as Kotoko-san yet so I endured. When sparring started I had some vicious marks on me from clan kids, who typically stayed out of the bullying, but not too much from the weaker civilians and orphans. The classes had dropped to F, and that class was actually down a few kids. In total, about seventy or so kids had failed out or dropped out.

Towards the end of the year, on my way home, I met with Uchiha-san again. It was February and Valentines Day had passed with a sudden realization from the girls that boys existed. Crushes formed and horribly made chocolates had been passed around. We were still at the 'girls have cooties!' age though so the chocolates were all accepted but the feelings behind them denied. Cruel, right?

When I ran into Uchiha-san, it was more so he ran into me. I was carrying my usual books with me when the top few that nearly obscured my vision were suddenly lifted into the air swiftly. I swiveled around, ready to yell at whoever decided to pick on me now, but my words died in my throat when I saw Uchiha-san standing there.

He held the books up with one hand, "Hello, little Miyako-chan! Do you remember me?"

"Yeah." I told him bluntly, "My books, please?"

Uchiha-san eyed the chakra theory book in his hand, "Isn't this a bit hard for a two year old to read?"

"I'm four!" I yelled immediately, my cheeks puffing up, "How could you even think I could be two? I would have been one last time we met!"

Uchiha-san laughed, "Of course I know you're not two. I checked the tag on your clothes last time to see how old you were and you were three."

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, "What do you mean?"

"Clothes don't have sizes until you're about five. They have an age instead." Uchiha-san informed me and I had the sudden urge to check my tag to confirm this. I had never looked at the clothes I wore since they were hand me downs and it wasn't like I had to buy my own clothes yet.

Uchiha-san hummed, "That being said, did you sneak out again to go to the library? I wouldn't think you could read yet."

"I'm in the academy now." I informed him, "I was allowed to enter early if I could read."

His eyebrows rose and he whistled, "Impressive then, Miyako-chan. Are you trying to graduate early?"

"I haven't really thought about that." I confessed, "I'm just interested in learning."

"That's a weird thing to hear from someone so young." Uchiha-san laughed. It probably was weird to hear from a four year old but it was true. I wanted to learn.

I gestured to the books, "Can I have those back now?"

"I'll walk you home since it's getting dark." Uchiha-san informed me. We walked quietly for a few minutes until we started to reach the district the orphanages were in.

As we got closer Uchiha-san looked at the run down state of some of the buildings with a frown. When mine was in view his frown seemed to deepen.

"Do you like the orphanage, Miyako-chan?" Uchiha-san wondered.

"No, but I don't have a choice in where I live." I replied, "The matron is mean, as are the other kids. The food is tasteless and kids don't get adopted, babies do."

Uchiha-san looked at me with his face exaggeratedly shocked, "I don't see why no one would adopt you. You're so cute!"

I felt my cheeks get hot from the innocent statement, "People have looked at me. But there's always a problem. I have too much energy. I don't play with the other kids enough. I'm too smart. Well, I assume these are the problems."

Kotoko-san had, at one point, been frustrated she couldn't get rid of me. She tried her hardest but there was always something the parents didn't like about me that led to them picking someone else or not picking anyone from the orphanage. Now she just relished in the fact that she could hit me and the bruise would last only a day or two.

We stopped outside the orphanage and Uchiha-san gave me my books back. He looked at the stack with an impressed expression.

"Ne, Miyako-chan, we should get a popsicle again someday." Uchiha-san suggested.

I smiled at him, "Green tea, again?"

"You even remember the flavor! You have a sharp memory for a kid." he laughed.

I pouted, "You're not too old either, Uchiha-san."

He dramatically puffed his chest out, "Uchiha-san? I'll have you know, little miss Miyako-chan, that I am Shunshin no Shisui! I am no ordinary Uchiha-san!"

I almost fell over. Shunshin no Shisui? My Uchiha-san was the Uchiha Shisui? The one who would have his eyes ripped out before killing himself in a river? This kind boy, who bought a random orphan a popsicle, truly had such a terrible fate?

Ignoring my aching heart, I replied cheekily, "Should I know your name?"

Shisui-san laughed and rubbed the back of his head, "Probably not yet. But I am super cool."

"Are you?"

"Of course!" Shisui-san nodded.

I smiled, "Well if you're so super cool, you should buy me a popsicle."

"Then I will. Not only to prove how super cool I am, but because I already told you I would." Shisui-san promised, ruffling my hair.

I went inside after telling him goodbye. Despite our promise, my first year at the academy came to an end and I didn't see Shisui-san for some time. However a special name graduated that year: the young prodigy Uchiha Itachi. My break from the academy consisted of difficult chores assigned by Kotoko-san and all my free time being dedicated to not only my studies but a conditioning routine that was recommended by Goro-sensei when I asked him for one.

I turned five before the next school year started and I experienced my first snowfall in Konoha. It was pleasant, the snow being fluffy and soft. It stuck to everything and made for a gorgeous sight. It snowed a lot that year and I enjoyed every bit of it. Before I knew it the academy was back in session and everything was back to normal. This year we would begin with the basics of chakra, sticking a leaf to your head, and kunoichi classes began.

I was actually really interested in the kunoichi classes. The girls were not my biggest fans but that didn't bother me. Our sensei liked me because she taught us one flower language and I would go to the library and learn two more. I thought it was fascinating! As it was, kunoichi classes did not include seduction as one would think. This was learned when we were older and if we didn't want to join the seduction corps we would likely never need to use it. The classes focused more on dance, tea arts, and calligraphy. If we had to pose as any female role then we would be able to do it as ease. Geisha, courtesan, servant, noble, priestess. We learned so much in that class that the other girls seemed to take it for granted. My only issue was the scaling difficultly. It was too simple for me. So again, the sensei was pleased that I went and did my own research.

Some time right before summer break, Shisui-san decided to jump back into my life again.

.

It was very hot out that day and I was walking back to the orphanage after class instead of going to the library that day. It was simply too hot for even me to hyper focus as I usually did. I just wanted to go play in the sprinkler that Kotoko-san set up so that when she threw the kids outside they wouldn't die of heatstroke. Before I could get back though a pair of hands lifted me up and before I knew it I was on a roof being carried at high speeds.

I of course started to scream, "HEL-"

A hand covered my mouth, "Miyako-chan it's me!"

The hand came off my mouth and I asked, "Shisui-san? What are you doing?"

Shisui-san grinned down at me, "We're going to get that popsicle I owe you."

I would have responded but the breeze from running felt amazing and I was having so much fun being carried through the air. Besides, free popsicle and a ride!

"Faster!" I cried gleefully as Shisui-san jumped over an entire street. He obliged and after a few minutes we landed at a stand where Shisui-san bought us each our own popsicle.

As he took a bite of his he announced, "It's too hot to share one so we each get our own!"

I thanked him as I started on mine.

A few people looked at us as they walked past but Shisui-san didn't seem to mind. We both finished our popsicles and he leaned back on the bench to observe the sky.

He grinned at me, "How have you been doing in the academy, Miyako-chan?"

"Great!" I beamed, "Did you know kunoichi classes are super interesting? We've been learning so many flower languages!"

Shisui-san's grin didn't lessen, "I never took those but I'm sure they're great. How is your taijutsu and chakra coming along?"

I pouted a bit there, "Chakra is coming along alright. Sometimes I use too much chakra so I accidentally destroy the leaf I'm supposed to stick to my head."

"You'll get used to finding the right amount eventually. Then you can jump from the roofs too!" Shisui-san encouraged me, "And taijutsu?"

"That's alright too. The other kids and I don't get along very well so it usually turns into an actual fight instead of a spar." I shrugged and Shisui-san looked a bit concerned. He leaned a little closer.

"How come the other kids don't like you?" he questioned.

I shrugged, "I like to read and study, and one of the kids from the orphanage started most of it. He calls me Mibaka."

Shisui-san put a hand to his chin in thought. I finished my popsicle quite happily and almost jumped when Shisui-san suddenly sat forward, "You know what, Miyako-chan? From today you can call me Shisui-senpai, because I'm gonna train you!"

I blinked at him, "Why?"

"So that you can beat up your bullies!" Shisui-senpai announced, grinning at me, "I don't like to boast, but I am a jonin."

I almost fell off the bench, "Eh? No way!"

Shisui-senpai nodded a bit shyly, rubbing the back of his head, "Yeah. Didn't I tell you I earned the name Shunshin no Shisui?"

"Well yeah but I just thought that was something you called yourself." I informed him and now it was his turn to almost dramatically fall off the bench. Instead he stood up and turned around, gesturing for me to climb onto his back.

I hopped on and when his arms wrapped around my legs he jumped to the roofs. It was so much fun piggybacking on Shisui-senpai's back as he jumped that I was sad when he touched down in a small training field. I got off his back and Shisui-senpai hemmed and hawed over what he wanted to teach me first. Finally he decided he wanted to see what I could do and he let me borrow his kunai and shuriken set.

I had vastly improved with my ability to throw projectiles but I almost fell over when he told me to spell my name with shuriken on the tree, "You want me to what?"

Shisui-senpai grinned, "You heard me."

I eyed the shuriken and tried to picture my name on the tree, "Just first name?"

"You have a last name?" Shisui-senpai replied, puzzled, "I thought you were an orphan."

"Just because I'm an orphan doesn't mean I wasn't left a last name." I replied, "My name is Uzumaki Miyako."

Shisui-senpai whistled, "Uzumaki, huh?"

I nodded and Shisui-senpai told me I could just do my first name since it had kanji in it. I failed miserably at this exercise but Shisui-senpai had a few good laughs at some of the things I did manage to create. We only practiced for an hour before we felt the heat of summer again and took a break under the trees. I tried to roll in the grass, looking for some kind of moisture, but the grass was dry.

"Meet me here tomorrow after the academy and we can work on this again." Shisui-senpai told me.

I rolled over onto my stomach to face him, "Really?"

Shisui-senpai grinned at me, "You're going to be the scariest cute little girl in the academy."

"Don't call me cute!" I huffed, burying my head in my arms. Shisui-senpai laughed and we continued to goof off under the shade of the trees.

.

True to his word, Shisui-senpai was waiting for me the next day at that training ground. When I got there he held up a bento, "Come eat!"

We sat underneath the biggest tree as Shisui-senpai unpacked the bento box and showed off that it was a fancy one with three layers instead of the small plastic ones the orphanage gave its academy students. I was in awe at the cute design of the food with sesame seed faced octopuses and panda rice balls.

"Who made this?" I questioned as I felt my mouth draw up into a huge smile.

Shisui-senpai smiled back at me, "My kind-of aunt."

Turns out, Shisui-senpai's kind-of aunt made really tasty lunch. The onigiri had bits of cooked seaweed in it and shrimp tempura for a filling. I really liked rice, which there was plenty of as she included fried rice as well, and Shisui-senpai probably didn't get much of it. We picked the bento clean before returning to trying to spell my name with shuriken.

"Can you even do this?" I complained before Shisui-senpai took all the shuriken and quickly, as if he didn't even need to think, threw them. うちはシスイ stared at me from the tree and I looked at him like he was insane.

"Why is this a skill you have?" I demanded. He even did his last name to show off!

Shisui-senpai looked at me very seriously, "You never knew when you need to show up your younger cousin."

I looked at his name again and pouted. He ruffled my hair, "My name is a bit simpler than yours since you have 美 and 夜. Do you want to start by spelling it in hiragana?"

I growled, "I can do it!"

And, after a week of struggling at that tree, I finally could spell my name with shuriken. What a useless skill, I thought, until Goro-sensei complimented my sudden improved accuracy in class.

Perhaps Shisui-senpai could teach me to be a bad ass.

* * *

 **AN:**

 **Credit for the idea of spelling your name with weaponry goes to Lang who used it in Catch Your Breath. If you haven't read that amazing story then you should. I think it's the best reincarnation fic ever, although I really do like Dreaming of Sunshine. Catch Your Breath just fits together so well and always has consistent quality and interest. I've reread it several times. As it's just a training concept and not some integral part of the story, I thought it would be all right to use. **

**Hey, did I mention that writing out names with honorifics is frustrating. But I wanted to do it and it's too late now I can't stop. But honestly if I forget an honorific lets just pretend its there.**

 **I have a timeline written out for everyone's ages and promotions. When I researched during the story planning stage, Shisui had really impressive stuff and so right now I have him graduating at 6, becoming chunin at 8 and jonin at 9 before meeting Miyako (He met her, last chapter, at 9). Some of these ages are based off the fact he got his sharingan as a genin watching his best friend die at the end of the third war. I'm not going to bother putting in an ANBU date but he's probably going to be ANBU relatively soon. No but seriously, Shisui was such a bad ass character.**

 **QotC : Has anyone else read Catch Your Breath? I truly think it's a fan fiction crime to not have read it. **

**Thanks to the following for reviewing (:**

 **Rei a Wandering Shinigami**


	3. A Summer to Remember

**Twilight River**

 _Chapter 3_

 _A Summer to Remember_

* * *

It was a really hot day the day I met Uchiha Itachi for the first time. It was the middle of summer and Shisui-senpai had taken pity on me for training and, while he wanted to do speed training, had mostly made me swim in the river for awhile before joining me most days. Summers in Konoha could be really hot sometimes despite how temperate the climate was supposed to be. This particular day I found myself waiting for Shisui-senpai. It was odd he was late, as he was never late, but sometimes shit happens.

I was laying in the shade listening to the river when Shisui-senpai appeared beside me quietly and plopped a large watermelon right onto my stomach. I inhaled at the sudden unexpected weight and sputtered for a moment.

"Ah, that's a funny look for you, Miyako-chan!" Shisui-senpai laughed, wiping his forehead with his arm.

I rolled the watermelon off me, "Why did you bring a watermelon?"

"To introduce you to my kind-of cousin and best friend, Itachi!" Shisui-senpai announced, stepping to the side to reveal a very unamused boy. Uchiha Itachi, despite being taller than me, wasn't very intimidating. He had round eyes and fluffy cheeks still and a small ponytail about the same length as the one I was attempting to grow.

I bowed my head before I could think about what his future held, "Nice to meet you, Itachi-san. My name is Uzumaki Miyako. Please take care of me."

Itachi-san extended the same sentiments before Shisui-senpai pat the watermelon gleefully, "We're going to play suikawari so that you two can be friends!"

"Shisui, what have I told you about trying to make friends for me?" Itachi-san demurred passively. Shisui-senpai grinned despite the reprimand.

He put an arm on my shoulders and pulled me close, "But Miyako-chan is my friend too!"

I was a bit shocked at the verbal confirmation that Shisui-senpai and I were now friends so I just stayed quiet. Although I was sure I looked quite pleased at that very moment.

Shisui-senpai retracted his arm and I felt a bit sweatier than before. Fanning myself I watched Shisui-senpai produce a bokken, tarp, and blindfold from a simple storage seal. I knelt down to observe the seal, since I had been reading up on basic fuinjutsu, but Shisui-senpai swatted at me.

"Today is a day for fun, Miyako-chan!" he informed me gleefully. Then I was blind folded and stood up. Shisui-senpai handed me the bokken and I was suddenly spun several times. I felt a bit wobbly when I stopped spinning and I took a careful step forward.

Shisui-senpai, from what sounded like above me, announced, "You're the only one swinging since Itachi and I could find the watermelon easily."

"Joy." I droned as Itachi-san told me, very quietly, to walk forwards.

As Itachi-san and Shisui-senpai led me on a wild goose chase I wondered if they had even put the watermelon down yet or if Itachi-san was stalling while Shisui-senpai set up. Eventually though they started to get serious in their efforts to steer me towards the watermelon. It took probably ten full minutes before Itachi-san told me to swing. I lifted the bokken high over my head and brought it down as hard as I could. I felt watermelon guts splash across my uncovered face and seconds after, someone untied my blindfold.

I looked down at my victim. I pulverized the watermelon into a few chunks but Shisui-senpai and Itachi-san didn't seem to mind. We all sat down around the tarp and began to grab handfuls of fruit. As we ate with round cheeks, our mouths full of watermelon, I watched Shisui-senpai and Itachi-san. Itachi-san didn't look at all like he would in a few years. He was small and while rather quiet and straight faced, very polite and cordial. Shisui-senpai was a mature kid, acting silly but having a naturally humble nature that made you forget he could probably kill you with ease.

When our bellies were full of watermelon we all watched the clouds pass from our backs. It was a hot day but the watermelon had been surprisingly refreshing and made me forget the summer day's heat. Eventually though we were hot again and Shisui-senpai suddenly announced, "Last one in the river has to clean up!"

By the time I realized what he said he was already halfway there with his shirt flying through the air behind him and Itachi-san was close behind. I yelped and ran after them, intending to dive right in without doing anything about my clothes. Itachi-san had to stop to take off his nicer clothing and while he was distracted I threw myself right into the river. I hit with a belly flop that Shisui-senpai laughed at and I was pulled under.

I emerged a few moments later after the initial stun from my flop wore off, laughing and having fun. I stayed near the shore for the most part. It took a lot of coaxing from Shisui-senpai to get me much further than my waist usually because I was slightly scared of swimming. But I was having a ton of fun just splashing at Shisui-senpai and Itachi-san. It ended up being Itachi-san who had to clean up since I followed Shisui-senpai into the river.

As we walked home that day, me a little waterlogged, Shisui-senpai announced, "Itachi's going to be joining us to help you with your taijutsu!"

I almost tripped, "Really?"

I gave Itachi-san a nervous look but he gave me a very small smile in response, "Shisui asked me to help. I wasn't aware we were not training today."

Shisui-senpai threw his arms around Itachi-san and I. He walked between us and it was a bit awkward because of how much smaller I was than both the boys. A few people stared as we walked past but it wasn't anything that made me feel very self-conscious. When we reached the orphanage Shisui-senpai stopped hanging off Itachi-san and I. I walked up the steps and waved when I opened the door.

After I closed it I kicked off my shoes in the genkan and pushed them into my cubby with my toes. I was still a little damp so I went towards the showers to clean off but Kotoko-san stepped into my path.

She looked down at me, "Where have you been?"

I blinked, "Out?" Kotoko-san never cared enough to ask me where I was.

"Today was a visitors day. I had several prospective parents looking for a young academy student and you weren't here!" she hissed.

I shrugged, "Not like they ever pick me anyway."

Kotoko-san smacked the top of my head, "Not with an attitude like that! And why are you wet? You smell!"

She rubbed her hand on her yukata and shoved me towards the shower room, ordering me to get cleaned up before I made the room smell. I stuck my tongue out at her back and I showered until I used all the warm water. Take that, hag!

.

My first day of taijutsu with Itachi-san was actually very informative. Shisui-senpai explained he chose Itachi-san because he was closer to my size and would be able to give me helpful advice based on that. Well, that was the smart reason. The other reason was he wanted to hang out with both of us at the same time.

Itachi-san was quick, as expected. He didn't hit me hard but definitely let me know when I made a mistake. He was meticulous in making sure my academy katas were perfect and that I had the basics down. For example, he saw that I was lazily not rechambering my leg from kicks once and made me do a drill where I had to kick his chest and not let him catch said kick. That day resulted in very sore legs.

And of course, Shisui-senpai always wanted us to do some fun things when training was over. Swimming in the river was fun but sometimes he decided we should go walk around the village, sometimes we got dango, and sometimes we hassled the genin.

Then came the fateful day Kotoko-san took a rather nasty fall and busted her hip. She blamed me because I was at the orphanage at the time reading at the dining room table. She had some of the older orphans help her to the hospital where they decided she just needed to take it easy for a month. That meant Kotoko-san was rather nasty the rest of the summer, hitting me with her new cane and throwing things at me.

One day, she forbade me from going out to meet with Shisui-senpai and Itachi-san.

"Why?" I demanded, my hands on my hips as I stood in front of her. She was settled in a comfortable cushioned chair that made her closer to my height and easier for me to argue.

Kotoko-san huffed, "Because I said so. Go wash the floors!"

Bristling, I washed them all right. I washed them with soap and I gave them a new coat of sealant. The problem with that was me, being a _silly child_ , somehow _accidentally_ used something very slippery. Kotoko-san, with her fragile hip, was effectively unable to walk through the halls without slipping. She gave me lashes across the back with her cane for it but it was worth it. She wasn't actually allowed to beat us so nothing she did was especially painful anymore.

Ryu gave me a nasty look when he almost slipped and fell, "Look what you did, Mibaka!"

I stuck my tongue out at him and went back to my room without slipping and falling.

The day after I apologized to Itachi-san and Shisui-senpai for missing training. Kotoko-san didn't try keeping me in the orphanage again after I made it nearly impossible to walk casually for a week. I was pretty spiteful, it turns out.

.

The academy started up sooner than I'd have liked after all the fun I had over the summer break with Itachi-san and Shisui-senpai. However, something seemed to have been stirred up because everyone was agitated in class. I got my first piece of gum stuck in my hair and that was unpleasant to get out. A few kids cornered me and actually gave me a good beating although I gave two of them black eyes in retaliation during the event. Tacks were put down on chairs and supplies went missing. Someone poured something in the bag I carried my school books in. I suspected Ryu was getting revenge from the floor incident.

I found out what it was one day during lunch one rainy day. A girl slammed her hands down on my desk and tossed my lunch to the floor, hissing, "You think you're so smart, don't you Mibaka!"

"And what's your problem?" I asked, exasperated. I didn't even know who this girl was. In fact, she wasn't even in our class!

"Mio-chan saw you with Itachi-sama over the break!" she announced, loudly. Every girl in the room turned to us with laser focus and I instantly realized it was girls setting traps and putting things in my hair, not boys. Boys liked to trip, to fight, to yell. Girls liked to be sneaky.

I stood up so that I was nose to nose with her, "So?"

"You stay away from him, Mibaka!"

I growled, "Or else what?"

"Or else we'll get you!" another girl cried.

And another added, "He's not yours!"

"If Itachi-san wants to interact with me," I told them, "Then that's his choice."

"Fine, then we'll make you pay." the girl in front of me said, turning tail and stomping away. The rest of the girls, though glaring daggers at me, turned back to their friends. Ryu looked horribly amused from his corner of the room.

And that day ended up sucking. I was able to notice tacks on my chairs and if I carried my things with me everywhere then no one could do anything. The problem came in that not even I could hyper focus on my studies when the kid next to me would try to draw across the library book I was trying to read and various paper creations would hit me. Goro-sensei pretended this wasn't happening as the academy's stance on things like this was that if you couldn't handle it yourself, how would you handle enemies trying to kill you in the future?

After class that day I went a different route to the usual training grounds where Itachi-san and Shisui-senpai were already waiting. It was still pretty hot out despite fall being a few weeks away and they were still wearing their summer clothes. Shisui-senpai greeted me cheerfully, "You're late today, Miyako-chan!"

"Mm, sorry. I had to stay for a few minutes after class." I informed them. I dropped my bag by the tree and Itachi-san observed me.

"There is gum in your hair, Miyako-san."

I blinked and felt around. It was really mushed in there and I hadn't felt it since it was by my hair tie.

Shisui-senpai made a scandalized noise and started to pick at my hair to see what had happened. I stood still as he tried to pick it out but he quickly learned that wasn't happening.

"Who did this to you, Miyako-chan?" demanded Shisui-senpai as he pulled out my hair tie and pushed away the sections of hair not stuck in the gum, "I'll go shove gum in their hair!"

As Shisui tried to put the sides of my hair into a knot on the top of my head I shrugged, "The girls in my class have decided it's their turn to bother me."

"Bother you? This is more than bothering!" Shisui-senpai cried. He looked at the fading bruises on my arms and made a frustrated groan. He turned around and looked at Itachi-san, "Itachi we need to do something!"

"Why have the girls suddenly started to bother you?" Itachi-san inquired passively.

I scowled, "They seem to think I'm hogging you, actually."

Itachi-san blinked and he didn't seem like he knew what to say. Shisui-senpai groaned again, "Your fan girls are a real hassle sometimes. Now they're after poor little Miyako-chan!"

"It's not Itachi-san's fault. I'm just a bit..." I hesitated and dropped my scowl, not wanting to tell Shisui-senpai and Itachi-san that I was upset that I would have to cut my hair to avoid the gum problem. I wanted to grow my hair out to be long and pretty but I wasn't sure if I would be able to get this gum out without cutting. I managed to last time but it felt like it was really in there today.

Shisui-senpai hugged my head when he finally managed to tie the knot with my good hair, "We need to stop them so Miyako-chan can grow out her hair!"

I looked at him, a bit shocked, and he winked at me. Shisui-senpai was more perceptive than I thought sometimes.

Itachi-san hummed, "I'll go home and ask mother if she knows how to get gum out of long hair."

"Sounds like a good idea." Shisui-senpai agreed, "And I have a perfect idea on what next to introduce to your training."

I tilted my head and after Itachi-san was gone, Shisui-senpai grinned, "Self-awareness!"

"Okay, so, are you talking about how sometimes you can feel someone looking at you? Something like that?" I questioned.

Shisui-senpai sat down and gestured for me to as well. He put his hands on his knees and began his lecture, "Usually you learn this skill over time but we're going to focus it. Basically, we're working on how you can sense someone targeting you. There are several key concepts for this and it includes being able to sense intent, being able to feel the motions in the space around you, and being able to sense chakra. Those are the three I'm going to work with you on, anyway. Some people are naturally good at this from just having a sixth sense for it and really, you have it as a sixth sense by the time you're a jonin."

"So you have this 'sixth sense' Shisui-senpai?" I asked, trying my hardest not to sound like I was making fun of him. I didn't want to sound like I didn't believe him but, I want to know more.

With a grin, Shisui-senpai nodded, "Jonin are strong and hard to kill for several reasons. One of them is they can read opponents and know where they're going to strike. However even engaging a jonin is tough because they likely already knew their attacker was there. If I was blindfolded and you threw kunai at me I would be able to dodge them because I could hear you throw them, hear them moving, if you use chakra to help yourself aim I could sense that, and I could probably feel your intent to hit me. If an assassin were to be sitting in that tree right now," Shisui-senpai pointed to a tree across the field, "Then I could feel their killing intent, potentially, or sense their chakra. Of course everything I've discussed is a variable. If there really was an assassin right there they would be trained to not give off intent and to have their chakra suppressed but if I didn't notice them sitting still, when they actually went to kill me I would likely sense them."

"What you're saying then, is it's basically knowing your surroundings and being prepared for anything." I surmised.

Shisui-senpai hummed, "For the most part. I'm not joking about the sixth sense though. When you make genin and go on missions with your sensei you'll notice you can almost never catch them off guard. An enemy will come out of the woods and you and your teammates will all yell and jump but your sensei knew they were coming from a kilometer away."

I gaped, "Seriously? That far?"

"Yep. No exaggeration." Shisui-senpai nodded seriously.

I contemplated that and looked up at the sky, "That's amazing. I can hardly believe that someday I could be able to do that."

"Train hard Miyako-chan." And with a smile, Shisui-senpai decided the best course of action was blindfold training. I wasn't very well versed in chakra yet so he didn't work on anything that involved sensing so he threw rocks and sticks at me with exaggerated motions even I could hear. When Itachi-san came back with a jar of oil we spent ten minutes treating my hair. Turns out whatever kind of oil his mom used was some kind of hack for getting gum out of your hair.

Then both Itachi-san and Shisui-senpai began to throw things at me.

.

A few days after the beginning of blind fold training, I showed up to class with a ton of bruises from being hit by rocks. A few of my classmates seemed to be curious where I got such colorful bruises from but mostly stayed away from me. The girls kept to their tactics but had moved on to be more aggressive. Spilling ink on my papers and purposely not handing forward my assignments. They tried their hardest to make it appear like I was cheating but Goro-sensei never fell for it and knew I would never.

My awareness was still nowhere near what Shisui-senpai had told me about so I ended up with gum in my hair before lunch. Expecting this I took the little glass bottle of oil Itachi-san gave me with me to the bathroom. Well, I took all my things but I actually needed that bottle. The girls bathroom was relatively spacious and I took a corner sink so that I was out of the way of other bathroom goers.

I had the gum out of my hair and another older girl had been watching me curiously when five girls walked in. Most of them were in my year but they were from all different classes. They walked past me at first but they saw me when they started picking mirrors.

"Oh look. It's Mibaka." said one of the girls. Another one wrinkled her nose as she sniffed my hair, "She smells gross!"

"Her hair does look greasy." a girl from another class remarked.

One girl produced a pair of scissors from her pocket and an evil grin told me they likely followed me in here, "Your hair is an ugly color. We thought you would have gotten the message to cut it off with the gum, but clearly you need help."

I put my back to the sink and held the bottle of oil like it was a weapon. The girl with the scissors snipped them threateningly and the largest girl of their group grabbed my free arm and pinned it to the sink. I broke the little bottle over her head and she yelped, scuttling backwards and whining about what I just spilled all over her. Pieces of glass were stuck in my palm but I held a larger shard tightly.

The girls all approached me and I thought I would have to fight them when a calm but authoritative voice called, "Enough."

Everyone, including me, turned to look at the older girl who had been in the bathroom with me. She was drying her hands with a paper towel and wasn't even looking at us. But when she did her eyes reflected us darkly.

She frowned, "You think Itachi-san would appreciate you bullying his friend like this?"

"Ah, I don't think we're quite friends-" I tried to murmur but the girl shot me a look. She crumpled up her paper towel and tossed it towards the waste bin. She put her hands on her hips and fully faced us.

One of the girls tried a quiet, "I-Izumi-senpai-" but was quieted by a stern look from the brunette.

"It's frankly disgusting to watch you act like you have been. If I were in your class then I would not stand for watching you put gum in a classmate's hair, and a younger one at that!" the apparent Izumi-senpai scolded them, "We are here in the academy to not only learn but to come to understand our allies. If you treat a classmate like this then you are simply not fit to be kunoichi."

All of them nearly ran from the bathroom at her words. The girl with the scissors even dropped her weapon on the floor as she fled. When the door slammed shut and only Izumi-senpai and I were in the bathroom I dropped the shard of glass I had in my hand and started to wash away the blood and pull out the smaller shards.

"I apologize for their treatment of you, Uzumaki-san." Izumi-senpai bowed her head, "I hope what I said will get through to them and no one will bother you over the matter of Itachi-san anymore."

"Mm, thank you for your help, Izumi-senpai." I replied courteously.

Izumi-senpai watched me pick out the glass, "I'm sorry we met under less than friendly circumstances. My name is Uchiha Izumi. I believe I am three years older than you."

"Uzumaki Miyako. You can call me Miyako if you want to, senpai. And that sounds about right. So you know Itachi-san, then?" I inquired. I rinsed my glass-free hand under the water and bit my lip to stop from hissing.

She looked away, "We aren't friends, per se, however I look up to him and we are acquaintances."

"And you like him." I surmised.

Izumi-senpai blushed, "And I like him."

"Why be nice to me, then? According to the other girls I'm stealing him away or something. Which I think is ridiculous, by the way. I'm five!" I huffed. I dried my hands and ignored the red splotched towel as I tossed it towards the waste bin. I missed and had to go pick it up.

"You aren't stealing Itachi-san from anyone. While I will be sad should he not choose me I will not bully someone he seems to think is worthy of his friendship." Izumi-senpai murmured, then under her breath, "I want to protect others, not harm them."

I laughed, "The way you put that you make him sound like he's the daimyo. Worthy of his friendship?"

"Well, I suppose you could say he is the Uchiha's prince." Izumi-senpai remarked. I laughed a second time and Izumi-senpai blushed. I walked over to grab my bag from the floor and I walked towards the door.

Izumi-senpai followed me and hesitated for a moment, "Miyako-san, if you, um, ever need a uh, female friend, I suppose... then I'm in class 4-A."

She hurried past me, as if I would reject her offer, and disappeared into the hallway. I smiled briefly at her back, a bit charmed by her shy retreat after her bold entrance. I returned to class and no one else dared attempt to put gum in my hair for the rest of that day.

When I met with Itachi-san and Shisui-senpai after class, Shisui-senpai fretted over my hands. The cuts were already scabbing over and healing but Shisui-senpai was a worry wart. He bandaged them up and worried they would scar.

Itachi-san observed, "It's highly unlikely her hands will scar from something so minor. Uzumaki's are known for their vitality and its accompanied healing factor."

"Oh, so that's why I heal really fast?" I hummed, "That's cool."

"Don't push yourself too hard just because you heal faster than others though, Miyako-chan." Shisui-senpai reprimanded me. I gave him a teasing shrug and we worked on my self-awareness drill again.

.

Starting the week after the bathroom incident, Shisui-senpai suddenly disappeared leaving only Itachi-san and I for my training.

"Shisui is on a mission." Itachi-san told me, "Don't worry about him. He's strong."

I smiled at him, "Then I won't worry."

Training with Itachi-san was far quieter than when I trained with Shisui-senpai. Shisui-senpai enjoyed joking around and talking while we worked, although he was absolutely an effective teacher. Itachi-san taught seriously and calmly, imposing zen upon the grounds when he lectured. The only sounds you could hear were the grunts of effort and me exhaling whenever I was hit.

On a cooler day, during a water break, Itachi-san asked me if I had spoken to Izumi-senpai.

I was confused for a moment, "Yes, she scared a few girls off when they tried to mess with my hair."

"She asked me about you." Itachi-san explained, "She wondered if you thought she was strange after your last meeting."

"Of course not. I thought she was a great person." I replied truthfully.

Itachi-san hummed, "I told her about you but I am glad she seems genuinely interested in your friendship."

I blinked, "You asked her to stop the bullies?"

"No, I just brought you to her attention. She did as she wanted." Itachi-san gave me a mysterious smile.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "You planned on her doing that though."

And he didn't answer.

* * *

 **AN:**

 **Updates will likely be more spaced out from now on since the story has a word count of over 10k and three chapters.**

 **I would really appreciate reviews, by the way. I know the last two chapters have been very wordy but now we're getting into more dialogue and action chapters since the introduction has been set. I may also be interested in a beta reader, mostly to catch spelling mistakes that my eyes gloss over when I reread.**

 **QotC : Favorite Uchiha?**

 **Thanks to the following for reviewing (:  
**

 **Guest**


	4. September

**Twilight River**

 _Chapter 4_

 _September_

* * *

Fall that year came quickly and suddenly. After the bathroom incident I didn't need to worry about the girls directly attacking me anymore, though they still made snide comments. I didn't really care too much about their words and did as I always did: focused on learning. Who cares about a six or so year old saying they didn't like me when I could be reading about Kumo!

My new subjects, as I reached the academy student limit on chakra theory books and fuinjutsu books, were all about foreign affairs. I found that what chakra affinity was common in each country, although that was obvious, and what jutsu were documented as being popular, fascinating. There was an interesting chapter on genetics and one day, when Shisui-senpai returned from his long mission, he looked over what I reading while we waited for Itachi-san.

Shisui-senpai made a face as he plopped down next to me, "Why are you reading about hair color in Suna?"

"Actually, I'm reading about genetics in all the main countries. It's fascinating." I said, flipping to the next page which featured a diagram I did not understand in the slightest. I had my self-made dictionary open next to me and Shisui-senpai flipped through it and cringed at some of the words.

"I really hope you don't make small talk about these subjects." he confessed.

I was copying down the diagram, "Small talk with who? Besides, how could you not be interested in this? What if you needed to know where someone was from!"

"Check their hitai-ate." Shisui-senpai answered smugly.

I rolled my eyes at him, "Listen to this: Kiri is noted for having the widest range of colors for hair and skin tone, as well as having genetically modified or mutated features. Suna residents are typically tan or light skinned with lighter hair colors although brown hair is not uncommon. Iwa is known for having darker hair and eye colors and varied skin tones, but light hair and eyes are not uncommon. Iwa residents are normally short and or stoutly built. Kumo is known for light hair colors and darker skin tones and they are built strong and tall. Konoha residents have a wide variety of normal hair colors but it's not uncommon to have colorful hair colors. Konoha residents are of average build unless specialized, so the Akimichi, and Konoha has a wide variety of eye colors and styles due to its various clans."

Shisui-senpai looked at me silently for several seconds before announcing, "Okay, so we need to put this to the test then."

"How?" I retorted, a bit confused.

He grinned, "Didn't you notice? The Chunin Exams just started!"

I gaped at him, "Really?"

Shisui-senpai nodded, "The second exam finishes today. They need to have the third exam a month apart and it's always the day after the equinox."

"Why?" I asked, leaning in out of curiosity.

With a mischievous grin, he answered, "A festival the night before, of course!"

I frowned. I hadn't gone to any festivals yet because Kotoko-san didn't want us embarrassing the orphanage for us not wearing yukata. However the shit eating grin on Shisui-senpai's face told me this festival was something big.

Shisui-senpai stood and gestured all around us, "Imagine, Miyako-chan, the entire village transforming for a single day into another world! Lanterns light up every street and carts line the closed stores. There are games everywhere and fireworks will light up the sky. Everyone has fun during the festival, adults and children both. Everyone transforms by wearing yukata and even kimonos. You can buy a mask from a stall too!" Shisui-senpai had tried sounding poetic but his excitement messed it up.

I did try to imagine it and I got something rather lackluster; a regular old rundown street far from my first life except without any rides. Shisui-senpai must have noticed my expression as he hummed, "I guess I'll have to show you the festival then. That's after we go judge all the foreign genin's appearances, though."

Laughing, I followed Shisui-senpai as we left the training ground. We didn't forget about Itachi-san: we left a note summarizing what my book said and where we were going to prove it right or wrong. What happened next I'm sure Shisui-senpai wasn't supposed to do but he ended up sneaking me into what appeared to be a break room for jonin. It had a few monitors, that were very bad quality and in black and white, that we looked at.

Shisui-senpai pointed out the builds of various genin. It was hard though to compare because genin were usually still growing so one of the short Iwa genin could grow to be super tall in the future. We were only there for maybe half an hour since we couldn't see colors. When we returned to the training ground Itachi-san was sitting there reading a book.

He eyed us, "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"The monitors we looked at weren't very helpful." Shisui-senpai admitted, sitting down and gesturing for me to take a spot between him and Itachi-san.

I did so and pulled out my book. Shisui-senpai looked between the two of us and snorted.

"You're like twins!" he insisted as Itachi-san looked up at him.

I shared a look with Itachi-san who murmured, "Miyako-san and I enjoy reading, is this a problem?"

Shisui-senpai jumped to his feet, "No, but that definitely is! You're stilling calling each other Miyako-san and Itachi-san?! You're friends now, aren't you? Stop with those honorifics."

With an awkward look towards Itachi-san, I spoke up, "I'm not sure, Shisui-senpai..."

"Miyako-chan," he replied very seriously, "Do you consider Itachi your friend?"

Feeling like I was thrust into the spotlight I looked between the two boys with wide eyes. I should have kept my mouth shut! I didn't want to be the one who defined our relationship. Were Itachi-san and I genuinely friends, or still acquaintances? Where was the line drawn?

I opened my mouth and some air came out. I licked my lips to give myself a moment more to think, before I whispered, "Well, I would like to be friends with Itachi-san, if he would allow it."

Shisui-senpai dramatically threw his arms up, "So formal! Itachi, I need you to look Miyako-chan in the eyes and say 'I want to be your friend, Miyako' and I better not hear an honorific."

Itachi-san saved his place in his book before setting it on the grass gently. He turned to me and I stared into his pitch black eyes. He said, "I would like to be your friend, Miyako-chan."

"Close enough." Shisui grumbled, taking his seat again as I stumbled over a response.

Finally, I managed a firm, "And I you, Itachi."

Smiles broke out across all three of our faces and the day seemed to get so much brighter.

.

One day, Ryu received wonderful news. He was being adopted! I'm not sure who would want him, considering he wasn't the cutest kid at the orphanage nor the friendliest, but Kotoko-san was pleased he was leaving. The orphanage was beginning to thin out its crowd and there was just one problem: no one wanted me.

I was an adorable kid, I had round rosy cheeks and big oval eyes. My hair was pretty bright and unique. But as soon as I was labeled Uzumaki Miyako, any prospective parents suddenly wanted nothing to do with me. I wasn't really sure why that was the problem. I wasn't Naruto and as far as I knew, I was in no way closely related. Was it just because of the name Uzumaki?

Regardless of my situation, Ryu still was a miserable shit in school. The bullying was starting to tone down that fall. I was no longer grossly targeted and a new transfer student was fresh blood for them. Ryu had a special place in his heart for me so he made sure to bother me every once in awhile. I was also starting to see my fellow classmates less as children and more as small people who needed to learn. They were getting slightly more intelligent. And I was getting slightly more fed up with them each passing day.

The bullying, one day I decided, would be put to an end.

I came to this conclusion while walking with Shisui-senpai and Itachi.

"Finally!" Shisui-senpai cried. He threw his hands in the air.

Itachi looked at me curiously, "What are you planning?"

"With our taijutsu practice I think I can win in a fight against Ryu and that should show I should no longer be messed with." I demurred.

Shisui-senpai snorted, "You should have been able to beat him anyway. He's so lazy with his practice!"

I paused and stopped walking, "Senpai, have you been watching him?"

Looking like a deer in headlights, Shisui-senpai looked to Itach for help. Itachi gave him a look that effortlessly communicated the message of 'You got yourself into this.'

Laughing slightly hysterically, Shisui-senapi rubbed the back of his head, "Well, I wanted to see who was giving our cute little Miyako-chan such a hard time and I heard he got adopted a week or two ago."

"He was watching him before that." Itachi piped in.

Shisui-senpai pouted at him.

"Why?" I demanded.

"As I said," Shisui-senpai huffed and started marching forward again, "I had to see who was giving you a hard time!"

"And?" I cried after him.

"You can totally annihilate him! Weight difference means nothing!" Shisui-senpai confidently replied. Itachi and I caught up with him and our destination ended up being a sweets shop.

I frowned. Shisui-senpai buying me a popsicle was nothing to me, they were inexpensive. I hated it when he tried to bring us to a restaurant and then insist that he pay for me too. It was embarrassing that he and Itachi could pay for their own meal but I, the pitiful orphan with no money of her own, had to rely on mooching off her friends.

"Think of it as incentive to defeat Ryu." Itachi suggested when Shisui-senpai told me I wasn't allowed to run like I usually did.

I pouted through the entire thing but I did allow Shisui-senpai and Itachi to pay for the sweets they decided I absolutely must have. I would get them back someday, but not today.

.

The day I fought Ryu it was drizzling lightly and sparring took place outside in the muddy dirt. The teachers observing the class watched from beneath transparent rain ponchos while the children of multiple classes huddled together in their friend groups. It was essentially a midterm day that took place in September before the Chunin Exams wrapped up. Today was the day that kids who were seen as especially talented would be marked to watch and they would potentially be moved to a higher class if they showed promise in all areas.

I may or may not have convinced Goro-sensei to pair me up with Ryu as my opponent. Initially he was against it, complaining, "You let those bigger kids beat the snot out of you and now you're looking for a fight?"

He agreed rather grumpily when I told him that if I beat the snot out of Ryu, I would be asserting my dominance in the grade's hierarchy and therefore end the bullying. Goro-sensei grumbled something about me being too smart for a snot nosed brat sometimes.

The fights were one on one with no weapons and for our younger grade, none of the three academy jutsu. In fact, no jutsu what so ever for our grade. A few clan kids were a bit too eager to show off what they were learning and singed a civilian student a few days prior which left the instructors jumpy and wary.

One of the girls from my orphanage got trashed into the ground by a bigger boy and I heard Goro-sensei marking down something on his clipboard. He was keeping time as well, likely to see how fast we could win or lose.

Goro-sensei cleared his throat and the other teachers snapped to attention. The crowd of children discussing the match with their friends took another moment.

"Uzumaki Miyako. Yamada Ryu."

The children burst into chatter and the instructors all tried to quiet them while Ryu practically skipped onto the field. I walked up slowly and felt the mud squishing into my toes and making my sandals distinctly uncomfortable. Ryu faced me with the academy stance and instead of mirroring him I stepped into the one Itachi had been teaching me. A few of the Uchiha's broke out into mutters as Goro-sensei called the fight to a start.

Ryu was taller than me and far broader. If he wanted to grapple then he could ultimately win by sitting on me. However I was flexible and far quicker than Ryu could even hope to be without Shisui-senpai's tutoring. That is to say, I was still only at the level of my fellow academy students. Itachi and Shisui-senpai hadn't taught me anything impressive yet. They stuck to reinforcing the basics. You need a strong base if you want to be strong in what you choose to branch into, Itachi explained when I asked for something more interesting one day.

The first move was made by Ryu. He charged in like a bull but he was smart enough to keep his eyes on me. I ended up with the first strike because I kicked him right in the chest, my tiny heel digging into his solar plexus. Ryu, so focused on charging, forgot the ground was slick and slimy. He tried to stop because learning to front kick someone charging is a very basic defense so he definitely anticipated what I would do. He just didn't put enough thought to his surroundings.

Ryu was bulky so my kick only knocked the breath out of him because I was cruel and made sure to dig in my heel. I was a fan of kicks despite the fact Itachi and Shisui-senpai said I needed to use my arms too. The two complained, and Shisui-senpai even tried to lecture me on the down side of kicks.

I flipped into a roundhouse kick and Ryu took it in stride, moving with my kick to negate the damage I would have done. He trapped my leg but the mud tripped us up and we both ended up on the floor. I did a log roll and promptly covered myself in a thick layer of mud. Ryu jumped up immediately and looked at me like I was some kind of monster.

I was now one with the mud and Ryu couldn't catch me. He tried to grab me again but I was too damn slippery. I poked him in pressure points and Ryu collapsed like a rag doll after a particularly mean set of strikes. He tried to get back up but he was only fast enough to look up before my muddy sandal cracked him in the face. There was a hilarious footprint on his face but it was less funny as blood dribbled out of his bent nose and mixed into the footprint.

"Uzumaki, fourty-seven seconds!" Goro-sensei called and a few of the other sensei looked at me with sharp eyes. I rubbed my hands off as best I could before I tried to rub mud off my face.

Fourty-seven seconds was an interesting time. For the clan kids, if they were against another clan kid they would end up with a longer time. They would be under it if they were against a civilian. However, for two orphans, or a civilian and an orphan, to go against each other and get a low time like that was something rare. Usually civilians and orphans traded light strikes and they lasted over a minute, potentially up to three. Never more than three though, because kids our age got tired and weary fast.

It was explained that in a real fight, it could either last seconds before someone was dead or incapacitated. Even fights could last from minutes to an hour depending on who was fighting. If two Kages fought, for example, the fight could last hours. Maybe days if they had the stamina. Academy students fought without life saving chakra while active duty ninja have honed their bodies to use chakra to reinforce them. Of course, we were fighting bare-handed so there were no weapons or jutsu to be accounted for.

Basically? I was now one of the top sparring students. I beat one of the better ones in our class and I also demolished him. I wasn't wounded at all and I trashed him in less than a minute. The rest of the students were quiet, observing with shocked eyes that I had just trashed Ryu.

.

Shisui-senpai, later that day, met me at the library. Whenever it was raining we usually didn't meet and I spent my time aggressively studying. Today though, Shisui-senpai clearly knew I was fighting Ryu so he intercepted me.

He lifted me and spun me around as I was approaching my destination. I yelped but otherwise knew it was Shisui-senpai and let him do what he wanted.

"This is great, Miyako-chan!" he said, still twirling us, "I was watching and you really showed him who's boss!"

Shisui-senpai put me down and I smiled at him despite being incredibly dizzy, "It was an easy fight once I got covered in mud."

"That was hilarious!" he laughed, "Everyone looked at you like you were crazy. You came up looking like some kind of snake and then your strikes were so fast, most of the other kids couldn't tell what was going on!"

I bit my lip bashfully, "It's not that great though. It was only forty-seven seconds."

"That's a great time considering your age!" Shisui-senpai announced.

I started to walk towards the library again but Shisui-senpai grabbed the back of my collar and pulled me back.

"I think you need to reconsider where you're going." Shisui-senpai told me gently. I looked down and actually remembered I was still caked in drying mud.

I frowned, "Oh."

With a mischievous grin, Shisui-senpai said, "I think I know just where to go."

Shisui-senpai ended up carrying me across the roofs and towards the Uchiha compound. Usually you needed strict permission to enter if you weren't an Uchiha but Shisui-senpai only paused for a few seconds to show the guards he had a visitor. Then he charged off despite them rather grumpily calling that he had to sign me in. We touched down a few moments later at a very nice house that I suspected belonged to Itachi.

This was confirmed when Itachi opened the door as we walked up. He took one look at me and called, "Mother, may my friend use our bathroom?"

A woman poked her head out as I kicked my sandals off outside so I wouldn't track mud into their nice genkan. She observed me for a moment and I eyed her in confusion. She was an average looking Uchiha: dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin.

Then I realized, this was the dark haired woman who used to visit me in the orphanage!

"You must be Itachi-kun's new friend!" she quickly covered, "Shisui-kun has told me a little about you."

I hummed a response, "Yes, my name is Uzumaki Miyako. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"You can call me Mikoto, just Mikoto." Mikoto said, smiling brightly. Itachi showed me to their bathroom, which was really nice, and I took my time rinsing off. Then I took more time making sure I cleaned up after myself. Mikoto wanted to wash my clothes for me but in the time that I took cleaning off she went and found a pair of clothes that were suspiciously my size.

Shisui-senpai and Itachi refused to tell me where she got them from. I still kept my suspicions that she went out and bought me new clothes. The clothes were comfortable though; a blue yukata styled top and the quality blue ninja pants that generally went with jounin apparel.

I spent the day just hanging out with Itachi and Shisui-senpai. I also met Sasuke, a bumbling three year old who wanted nothing to do with me but everything to do with his older brother. Shisui-senpai and I thought it was funny how Itachi spent half of the time trying to get his brother interested in something else. Yet there was this look in Itachi's eyes and subtle spring in his movements that suggested he loved his little brother more than anything else in the world.

We played some games that were vastly unfair because I couldn't keep up with Itachi or Shisui-senpai in terms of dexterity or cheating ability. Mikoto made a wonderful meal that she made me eat three plates of, not that I'm complaining because that was really good food. When her husband came home just before dinner he did a double take when he saw me sitting with Shisui-senpai and Itachi.

He and Mikoto moved to another room to discuss something and Shisui-senpai, Itachi and I, moved closer to try and hear.

"...daughter?" Fugaku was quiet and we strained to hear what he was saying.

"Of course! She looks just like her, doesn't she?" Mikoto was a bit louder, her voice going shrill.

"Her hair and eyes are a bit different."

"Well, I'm just glad she looks healthy."

"It is a bit convenient that Itachi is friends with her, Mikoto."

"I had nothing to do with this. It seems Shisui-kun found her first."

There was a snort, "As long as you aren't too involved with her-"

"There is nothing that can stop me from looking after that little girl now. Her mother was one of my friends and like hell I'm letting her be a nameless orphan!"

Fugaku sighed deeply, "If the council hears about this-"

"Tell them I'll shove something up their-"

"Please, Sasuke might hear."

Mikoto huffed, "You're right. But genuinely tell them that I am invested in that Uzumaki not because she is an Uzumaki, but because she should have had a mother!"

There was some rustling and Shisui-senpai and Itachi got the hell away from the door we were almost leaning on. I almost fell over after my support, Shisui-senpai, suddenly was across the room acting casual.

All three of us looked distressed, for different reasons, as the door slid open. I cursed them for forgetting I wasn't as ninja as them!

Fugaku loomed over me and I made an expression that said 'oops?' and his face softened for the briefest moment.

Then he said, "Boys, I know both of you were listening too."

"What gave us away?" Shisui-senpai pouted.

Fugaku gestured to me, "You wouldn't have left Miyako-chan to eavesdrop on her own."

I mean it was true. Then he gave me a stern look and I wilted away, "Listening in on conversations is only alright when you aren't caught. Mikoto, what should her punishment be?"

I gaped and Mikoto smiled brilliantly from behind Fugaku, "I think she should come back more frequently and learn how to eavesdrop the right way."

The two seemed to be on the same page and while Shisui-senpai and Itachi seemed relieved, I was more interested in why they were so invested in me.

"Mikoto," I asked, "Did you know my mom?"

"I'll tell you about her next time you visit." Mikoto replied sweetly.

I let my mouth drop again and I was pretty disappointed she didn't spill all the secrets right then and there. I went back to the orphanage after a nice, if a bit awkward, dessert. I also wasn't given my muddy clothes back and mysteriously the next day, there were two more pairs of nice clothes waiting in my drawer for me.

.

The first time I heard my new nickname, I was confused.

"What did you just call me?" I questioned, genuinely interested. The two girls who I heard it from scuttled away and I didn't find out until I ran into Izumi-senpai later that day. She beamed at me proudly after sitting down next to me at lunch.

I looked at her, a bit confused as to why she was in my classroom when everyone else was outside. Izumi grinned, "I hear you got one of the best scores on the Year 2 scores yesterday!"

"I did." I said slowly.

"I also hear you beat up that boy who started the bullying!" Izumi continued, her grin stretching wider.

"I did." I agreed again, also slowly.

"You earned yourself the nickname of Kiyohime." she told me, and I blinked at several times to show her I was confused.

Kiyohime, according to the myths, was a woman who was in love with a man who didn't reciprocate her love. When he tried to get away from her she turned into a dragon, chased him down, and killed him. I was... not sure how I was related to that.

Izumi rolled her eyes, "I think it's dumb too. The girls seem to think you beat down Ryu because Itachi-san rejected you-but that isn't what happened, I know it!"

"Of course not. I decided the best way to stop the bullying was to show I was stronger." I informed her. She nodded quickly and cracked open her bento.

As she, rather gracefully, shoveled down some food she passed me a pair of chopsticks and offered me her rice.

"You never have a decent lunch so I thought I'd share." Izumi-senpai stated. She said it in a way that I had no choice but to scoop up the rice, my favorite, and wolf it down.

"We are going to be friends now, I've decided." Izumi-senpai explained, "I was a bit nervous when we first met but now I'm sure we will be great friends."

"This is definitely a change in your confidence." I agreed and Izumi-senpai huffed.

"You could try saying, 'Yes Izumi-chan, I would love to be your friend' instead of that!"

I laughed, "Then, yes, Izumi, I would like to be your friend." She glowed at that response.

She reminded me strongly of Shisui-senpai in that moment; coming in very suddenly and confidently announcing friendship just like that.

Izumi wasn't actually as hyper as Shisui-senpai though. Her nerves, it seems, had her excited because over lunch she calmed down to be more calm and collected. When she was back to how I remembered her, we discussed how her fight went. She explained hers wasn't very special but she won over the other girl even though it was a struggle. She thought the Hyuuga clan was rather stubborn and wouldn't go down very easy.

It was an enjoyable lunch but after the academy my time was Shisui-senpai and Itachi's. Izumi understood but made me promise that I would spend some time with her at the festival coming up and that I would continue to eat lunch with her. It was a strange feeling, having an ally in the academy where people were no longer trying to pick on me.

.

The end of summer officially came the day of the festival. Kotoko-san wanted us 'urchins' to stay inside but I, as well as several other older children, hopped the fence before anyone could stop us. I followed the directions Izumi gave me to her house and found she lived outside the Uchiha compound. This was pretty surprising and when I knocked on the door, her mother answered.

"Aren't you adorable," the woman hummed, "You must be Miyako, right? I'm Izumi's mom but you can call me Hazuki."

"Nice to meet you, Haruki-san." I bowed.

Haruki-san looked, like Mikoto, just like your typical Uchiha. Black eyes, black hair, pale skin. But she had a beauty mark by her eye just like Izumi did. Izumi came thundering down the stairs and quickly dragged me upstairs before I had a chance to look at the pictures sitting on a mantle. Upstairs she took one of her older yukata, explained that her mom wanted to keep it for the memories, and dressed me in it. It was a shade of pastel blue with green and pink flowers dotting it. Izumi dressed herself in a purple yukata and Haruki-san fixed the yukatas and did our hair.

"You have such lovely hair." Haruki-san complimented me as she twisted a pin through my hair.

"Thank you. It's kind of bright though." I demurred.

She laughed, "That just means you're the beautiful star of the crowd, then."

I felt warm and fuzzy from her words and Izumi and I raced into the village to gaze at the decorations that genuinely covered the streets. Shisui-senpai's description was nowhere near accurate. The village became something enchanting with lanterns seemingly floating everywhere. Warm light lit every crevice and pushed away any cold feelings while bright yukatas caught your eye. The village smelled like something else with food stalls beckoning to you with their aroma. Children wore masks and ran around with the prizes they won from the various games. Laughter and chatter filled the night and Izumi and I enjoyed ourselves.

Academy students were allowed to play the games but you were only allowed one prize. Izumi won at the goldfish game and I was a bit too harsh to capture one. Other games included the roll the rock into the hole game, which I thought was a lot of fun, sling a band at targets which both of us won at, and various scoop stuff out of water games. By the time Shisui-senpai and Itachi found us, we were deciding what candy to buy with Izumi's allowance.

Shisui-senpai did an exaggerated dramatic gasp when he saw me, "Why, look at our Miyako-chan, Itachi! All dressed up for the festival and not with us!"

Izumi giggled as Itachi nodded his head to us, "Good evening. Are you enjoying the festival as well, Miyako-chan? Izumi-san?"

We both nodded and our duo turned into a small group as Shisui-senpai led us around and took us to all the food stalls he thought smelled especially good. Anything he ended up buying I was also given. The same thing happened when Itachi bought something. By the end of the night when we were laying on a roof to wait for the fireworks, I was a bit sick and very stuffed.

I groaned and pat my stomach, "Look what you guys did to me!"

Shisui-senpai poked my belly and I squealed. He laughed, "You're a little round now, I think!"

Itachi added, "You're probably going to be sick tonight. You look bloated."

"I feel like a balloon." I complained, "Careful, I might pop."

Izumi poked my stomach next and I rolled towards Itachi in my effort to get away. Then he betrayed me by also poking me.

We calmed down a bit as the time for fireworks came. Izumi was on my left and Shisui-senpai my right. Itachi was sitting up instead of laying down like the rest of us. The fireworks lit up the sky soon enough and we all oohed and ahhed at the colorful explosions. Itachi and Shisui-senpai wanted to see the Hokage's speech so we split up there. I went back with Izumi and changed out of the magical yukata.

That was the end of summer, and the start of a new point in my life. I just didn't know it yet.

* * *

 **AN:**

 **Hey guys, just to let you know I just started college so updates won't be very frequent. But here's the not so funny news:**

 **My school is in the path of hurricane Irma and the school is evacuating us. It's very nerve wracking, being displaced my SECOND WEEK AS A FRESHMAN and there are no flights for me to be able to get home in time. If anyone wants to check up on me, then check my Tumblr. It's a reblog Tumblr but if I'm reblogging stuff then I'm clearly okay. My Tumblr is ShadowBloodNinja, I will tag the posts as hurricane so you don't have to sift through reblogs. As of now I will be going home with my roommate, a twelve hour drive to where she lives, so I will be out of the hurricane's way. It's very awkward and I feel terrible having to go with her but there are no flights for me to catch home in time and I'd rather not stay anywhere near here.**

 **This chapter is also a bit rushed because I wanted to update at least this or Out of the Ashes before the hurricane. If I come back to redo this chapter the only part I am unhappy with is I wanted more for the Uchiha house scene.**

 **Also I'm sorry for any typos, my new laptop doesn't appreciate me typing weird non-dictionary words. I need to add all my fan fiction terms. But no, it changed Itachi to Itchy, Goro to Gore, etc.**

 **AotC: My favorite Uchiha is either Shisui or Obito. I love stories that feature one or both of them! Itachi and Madara come next, and I love fan fictions that portray Mikoto and Fugaku like Deja Vu No Jutsu (Another highly recommended fic. It's unique because she's the Minato and Kushina age group).**

 **QotC: Has anyone read the Naruto novels?**

 **Thank you so much to the following for reviewing (:**

 **Dark Rose Charm  
Kenshin135  
** **Fwee  
Akira D. Ryusuke  
popcornPAR  
Guest  
InARealPickle  
Chamele  
Guest  
kaya  
Silmr3**


	5. Break

**Twilight River**

 _Chapter 5_

 _Break_

* * *

My sixth birthday came a few months after the Chunin Exams. It was an unusually snowy winter all year that year with the snow beginning in December and continuing onwards. There was a constant flux of the attendance in the academy depending on who caught pneumonia that week and had to be on watch in the hospital. I was especially sturdy compared to the others and didn't catch it once.

Shisui-senpai and Itachi had small plans for my birthday that I was unaware of. My birthday fell on a day I didn't have classes and both Itachi and Shisui-senpai didn't have missions. We met at our usual spot that day and I was presented with gifts.

I stared at the offending book Itachi was holding out to me and he said, "This is for your birthday."

I took it in my mittened hands and struggled to flip it open. It was a nice and rather thick leather bound journal. Shisui-senpai gave me a few seconds to enjoy my new journal before he held out his gift. Unlike Itachi's, his was wrapped daintily and was actually smaller. I put the journal in my bag and pulled off my mittens to open the box. I undid the wrapping paper neatly, which Shisui-senpai complained was the wrong way to open a gift, and I lifted the top up.

Inside the long box was a long stick that I thought was a lone chopstick at first. Then I realized it was a long silver hair pin that dangled bells at the end. I lifted it out and oohed. The bells swung and let out a gentle chime that sounded more like whispering than a bell.

Shisui-senpai grinned and explained, "Your hair looked really nice from the exam's festival and I saw this and thought this would look great on you!"

I honestly had to think back and remember what Izumi's mom did to my hair. I did recall her putting in a long pin with a dangling ornament that looked like flowers.

Itachi observed, "It's excellent quality."

I narrowed my eyes at Shisui-senpai and he threw his hands up quickly, "No, it wasn't too expensive! Besides, I am paid well for jounin missions and I don't have anything to do with it."

"Save for when you have a family, or need to pay rent." Itachi preached and I continued to twist the hair pin in my hands. My hair was getting longer, having surpassed Itachi's ponytail a month or two ago. I twisted my hair up into a bastardized bun and stuck the pin through. I felt half of it fall out but Shisui-senpai gave me a lopsided grin as he blocked out Itachi's words of wisdom.

"Looks great!" he praised. Itachi stopped for a moment to agree, "Yes it does look very nice on you."

I smiled, "I'll start wearing it then."

"It's really sturdy so don't be afraid of breaking it." Shisui-senpai told me.

When Izumi saw me in the academy she gave me a lovely hand knit scarf that was a bright blue-purple that she explained she tried to match to my eyes. I wore that everyday that winter, along with my new hair pin. I also, when I saw Mikoto for my occasional visits, was given a picture of my mother. She was prettier than I remembered as a baby. Her hair was a deeper red than mine and her eyes more green-blue than purple-blue like I thought. I looked a lot like her with my round, oval eyes and long eyelashes. My face was still trying to shape itself but while my face was round and cute like hers, I was also developing higher cheekbones.

The funny thing about visiting Mikoto was that she deflected any and all questions about my mother in such a way that I truly went there the next time thinking she would actually tell me about her. I didn't mind because Mikoto was giving me valuable skills such as how to perform a tea ceremony, be a good hostess, and other things that would fit perfectly in kunoichi class. Speaking of that, I was intimidated because third year was sex talk year. Spooky.

.

The academic year ended rather quickly and I used my month off to practice everything I learned that year. Shisui-senpai and Itachi made sure my taijutsu didn't slip while also continuing to grow my awareness. As an incoming third year I would finally learn how to apply chakra in jutsu and not just theory and exercises. I was very excited and the break went by very quickly.

I was bumped up to 3-A from 2-B for my third year and was proud that I had vastly improved enough to be in the class that was mostly full of the expected successes. The classes would be broken out of the model as we got older and the teachers learned who to expect the best out of but it was genuinely great being in the higher tier of class. The only sad part was Goro-sensei was not my teacher again.

Chakra was a major focus that was given an entire bloc in our schedules. Instead of spending half the day in studies and half in training, we now spent only a quarter of the day in studies, and an odd balance of training and working on our chakra. They introduced us to the henge technique first. Then the clone. And then we learned the kawarimi technique last. We had the basics of the three down by the end of the first semester.

Most students could henge rather alright by then. I was simply alright at these techniques. My control wasn't as good as the others which led to strange things such as hair far wilder than what I was aiming for, or strange distortion to clothes or limbs. My clones had similar issues and we were told not to practice the kawarimi without supervision as most of us were terrible. Substituting your body with chakra was an awkward sensation unless I took my small body and exchanged it for like, a trashcan my size. The logs they wanted us to learn on were the sizes of most of the students torsos which made it a little difficult.

Summer break was spent with Shisui-senpai mostly gone on missions. Itachi and I were quiet together and we both clearly missed having him around. I worked with Itachi on the academy three but progress was admittedly very slow without Shisui-senpai. Towards the end of the summer Itachi started to get busy too so I was often left on my own. Some days I went back to the library to try reading fuinjutsu books again with my always improving literacy but that was also a bust.

When I returned to school I was bursting with energy. I felt like nothing could exhaust me enough. My nights started getting longer as I spent time training after the library. I stopped seeing Shisui-senpai and Itachi often. Itachi checked in frequently, telling me about his genin team and how their sensei was training them harder to take the Chunin Exams next year sometime. He apologized for being so busy often. Shisui-senpai was a ghost. He would step into my life maybe once every few weeks and buy me a popsicle before leaving again.

It was lonely.

Izumi and I spent time together but she was also busy. She wanted to graduate a year early so she was focusing on her studies and gradually I felt lonelier. It was strange at first because I had spent almost every day with Shisui-senpai and Itachi for about two years. But I retreated back to my own studies, like I had been before I met them. Loneliness was something I had found in both of my lives, it seemed.

.

The night that changed everything was at the end of August. It was no different from any other night and was actually perfect. The temperature was nice and moderate and there was no mugginess or fog. I was more so strolling back to the orphanage than walking. I was enjoying the night.

I felt a prickle on the back of my neck. It was the kind of feeling that sent shivers down your spine and made your hair stand up. It was a terrifying experience because I thought my body was just going to lock up when this foreboding, choking feeling came over me. I was on a side street with high fences and nowhere to escape to. There was a single streetlight casting long shadows and I was directly under this street light when one of the shadows moved.

He stepped into the edge of the light. An animal mask covered his face and generic armor plates covered him. A tanto was visible from over his shoulder and I had the uneasy feeling that something was about to go horribly wrong. I turned around, intending to speed-walk my way out of there. But another man with a different animal mask stepped into the light.

I tensed. I knew these men were ANBU. But I doubted any good ANBU would be using such a scare tactic on a young academy student. I suspected, and I was sure I was right, that these ANBU belonged to Danzo. Danzo I knew had a thing for orphans, but was I the kind of orphan who wouldn't be missed? I swallowed nervously and looked between the ANBU and wondered if I could scramble over the fence in time.

"Uzumaki Miyako," a gravelly and ambiguous voice came from the first ANBU, "Elder Shimura requests your presence."

I looked at him and in a small voice, murmured, "I've been told not to go with strangers."

The ANBU stepped forward as if to grab me and I tried to go over the fence. A hand snatched the back of my collar and I choked as I was flung backwards. I struggled and anxiety and fear bubbled up. I tried to kick and bite, I became something like a feral animal. I hissed and spit before I started screaming, "SOMEONE HELP! HELP ME! HELP-"

A gloved hand reached over my mouth and muffled my screams. The other ANBU stepped forward with a cloth in his hand. I struggled harder. I didn't want this. I wanted to have fun. I didn't want to be a part of ROOT or deal with Danzo in any way. This wasn't fair!

This was supposed to be a better life!

My ears started to ring and my spine arched backwards. A scream echoed out of my throat through the hand over my mouth and my vision shifted colors. I saw white for a moment and then a blue haze took over everything. The ANBU dropped me and I landed on my knees. I brought my hands over my head and my throat felt raw. After a few seconds the ringing stopped and there was the unsettling sound of something ripping. A wet liquid splattered onto my back and when there was no longer any noise but the sound of the cicadas in the distance, I looked up.

There was a massacre surrounding me. Something had ripped both the ANBU into chunks and gore surrounded me. It was splattered on the walls, on me, on the ground. For a few moments I was in disbelief. The blue glow was still there, reflecting off the blood and surrounding me. I looked up and my mouth, dry, dropped open. These ethereal chains floated above me, circling above me and occasionally lashing around. They were a deep dark blue, giving off a pure blue glow.

The ringing came back and my vision started to speckle with colorful dots. I grabbed my head, yelling and moaning. Someone landed in front of me and they were yelling my name. Arms wrapped around me and my body convulsed. The ringing was getting louder, I was probably screaming louder. The arms around me were warm, they weren't something to harm me.

And then I fainted, falling into a cold dark abyss filled with blue chains and animal masks.

.

When I came to, I promptly rolled to my side and puked violently. Someone said something about me being a trooper, but I couldn't really tell. When I was done heaving, I pushed myself to my knees and took in where I was. The office was familiar, but not to this life. Had the colors been saturated and the objects flat, then I would have known it. Instead I was in the real Hokage's office and not the fake animated one.

The Hokage himself looked at me from across the desk. He looked much older than I remembered him looking a few short years prior and his eyes were closed off. His face was sagged into a sad but firm expression.

"How do you feel, Miyako-chan?" a medic to my side questioned.

I groaned a bit, and managed a weak, "Terrible."

"The feeling should go away soon." the medic murmured, "You just experienced extreme sensory overload."

"Sounds right." I plopped onto my butt and pulled my legs into a comfortable butterfly stretch.

The room had an awkward atmosphere. It was a few minutes before the Hokage said something else.

"Do you remember what happened?" It was a simple question. What had happened? I remembered everything, although my perspective hadn't been quite the best. I could relay what I saw but I was unsure of what actually happened.

I told the Hokage what I remembered. Sarutobi-sama listened carefully and I didn't lie. I did leave out knowing that these ANBU were from ROOT, but I added that I just knew something wasn't right. The way they acted and carried themselves made me think something was off. And it was true, technically.

The Hokage sounded weary when I finished speaking. He lit his pipe and took a few minutes to relax with that.

Finally, he murmured, "I'm sorry things had to happen this way, Miyako-chan. You will not be able to go back to a normal life, now."

"Why not?" I demanded, quietly. I didn't see any reason I couldn't if he told Danzo to fuck off.

"You were the one who killed those two ANBU operatives." he said gravely. I didn't process that very quickly.

"What?" I gasped, a delayed few seconds later.

"Those blue chains were yours. They were Uzumaki chakra chains." the Hokage, rather bluntly, informed me.

I took a few moments to process this new information, "I... I was the one who killed them?"

"Unknowingly, I'm sure." the medic butted in, "Your chakra likely reacted to your emotions."

"I didn't want to kill them!" I protested, "I just wanted them to leave me alone!"

"They won't be bothering you again, Miyako-chan. However you will need to learn to control your chains." the Hokage announced. He exhaled and smoke breathed out in front of him. I looked at him, feeling incredibly lost. I thought I was going to cry, "There is also the issue of you killing those operatives."

"I didn't mean to." I insisted, sniffling.

"I know you didn't. And this isn't a punishment, but a way to protect you." the Hokage softly told me, "As of today, you will be an ANBU trainee."

"A what." I imagine I looked like I got punched in the gut and was trying to get air back into my lungs.

The Hokage closed his eyes, "I've determined the best way to protect you is to train you as an ANBU operative. As of now I have already spoken to the operative who will be your trainer. He will be training you for both heavy assault and assassination."

I started to cry big, fat tears. I was silent though as tears spilled out. I choked, "I don't have a choice?"

"As for now, no, I'm sorry Miyako-chan. Later in life should you choose to change divisions then you may. But for now you will be mostly trained for assassination. ANBU are rarely sent on missions requiring heavy assault, but you will still be prepared for that." the Hokage sounded more stressed than sorry. In fact, he didn't sound sorry at all.

I sobbed for a few moments. I was upset, to say the least. I avoided Danzo but I was still stuck somewhere I didn't want to be. This was supposed to be a fun life. I was going to graduate the academy, get a fun team under a jonin, and continue to see my friends.

This life was supposed to be better, and yet, here I was. The rug pulled out from underneath my feet. How hard would I hit the ground?

"How... how does this work?" I sounded more so like I was dying than anything else.

The Hokage sighed, "You will disappear from the public. You will live in the ANBU barracks, training as long as your trainer requires you to. When your trainer decides you are finished, you will be given a hitai-ate and officially be instated as a genin. However you will still be on call for ANBU missions once we have determined you fit for them, and you will also have ANBU training to further your ability."

And I mourned for my second life being taken out of my hands.

.

The Hokage let me cry in his office for an hour before an ANBU dropped from the ceiling. ANBU are all ambiguous in gender but this one, not wearing a hood and displaying short, dark grey hair, will be referred to as a man. His voice also sounded deeper even with the mask muffling his voice.

"Miyako-chan, this is Dog. He will be your mentor for the next few months." the Hokage told me. I looked up and glared at him. In my stages of grief, I was rather angry.

"I don't like you." I told him bluntly.

The Hokage almost laughed despite the room's atmosphere and the ANBU tilted his head, "You don't need to like me."

"Then I resent you." I huffed, sliding off the couch I had buried myself into.

Dog looked at the Hokage and I had the feeling he was trying to convey his displeasure.

I stood in front of Dog and we examined each other. He was much taller than me, as adults usually were, and his mask was canine shaped with pointed ears. Black and red marks dipped around his eyes and two hugged each side of the mask. I thought it looked more like a cat mask than a dog one.

Dog said, "You're young."

"Her circumstances are special." the Hokage mentioned.

"ANBU are supposed to be thirteen, not five." grumbled Dog, sounding grumpy and displeased.

The Hokage took his pipe out of the corner of his mouth, "She can use Uzumaki chakra chains."

I narrowed my eyes at the Hokage, "You said you spoke to him already."

He kind of shrugged, "I told him he was getting an apprentice."

Dog appraised me for a few more moments. Then he sighed.

"Let's move then, brat."

"My name is Miyako, not brat." I growled.

"Move."

Dog picked me up and jumped up through an illusionary ceiling tile. Another ANBU was sitting there crouched. Dog nodded to them and we crawled through the duct before dropping down a shaft. Dog caught me before I splattered on the floor and then he dropped me on my ass.

"This is the bunker. The main concentration is under the Hokage's tower and extends to the hospital. Otherwise there are various tunnels throughout the village that ANBU use to move around undetected. There are several training rooms and barracks down here."

Then he started walking. I hurried after him and he led me to what appeared to be a storage room for armor. Boxes sat on shelves that contained various white ceramic masks.

"Pick an animal." grumbled Dog and I shifted through the boxes before finding a more menacing canine mask. This one was sharper than Dog's mask with more angular indents and the ears being wider. I held that one up and Dog took it from me. He popped the lid off two cans of paint and dipped a brush into the black paint. He looked at me briefly before painting red around the mouth and bottom. He did a smear of it across the middle of the mask and then switched to black paint. He made two fangs that came out of the snout and gave what was effectively cat-eye eyeliner on the top of its eye holes. He drew two slanted lines, possibly for eyebrows, and then handed the mask to me.

"Wolf." he stated, "That is your codename now. ANBU are free to tell whoever they choose about their identities, but it is discouraged heavily."

I held the mask in my hands to look at it. Considering how small I was, it was a rather fierce looking mask that he had made. I asked, "Why did you paint it?"

"Usually a trainee's trainer, sponsor or captain will design the mask of their choosing. It is to honor them." Dog explained vaguely. I fit the mask on over my head and was surprised how easily I could see out. The eye holes were larger than you would expect and were formed to shadow the eyes and hide them. There was also a thin layer of something transparent in the holes but I didn't have time to examine because Dog was moving again.

I followed on his heels until we reached another room where he spent ages trying to find ANBU standard armor that would fit me. The armor he did eventually hand me was still very large but he grumbled that I was supposed to be too young to be an ANBU during peace time. After he made sure I could move around in the armor he led me to the barracks and showed me which bed was mine. I shoved my clothes into the pillow that was mine and then he led me to another storage room. This one though had another ANBU who regarded me with a tsk.

"This recruit is rather small, Dog. Too small to be of age." the ANBU hummed, looking down at me. Their mask was a bit awkwardly shaped but I determined It was supposed to be something like a horse or a deer or a moose. Their mask was softly painted with thin blue lines around its features. Also not wearing a hood, this person's hair was long and a color that I would call sunburnt orange.

Dog shrugged in response and the ANBU had me take a seat on a crate. They pulled out a needle and apologized for a second before I felt her poke into my upper left bicep. There was an awkward sensation and I looked over to see her painting a seal onto my arm. She finished quickly and there was a brief moment where my entire chakra system felt a foreign pulse and Dog was suddenly holding me down.

I was yelling, my legs kicking wildly as the ANBU continued with whatever she was doing. She apologized when she was done and Dog let me go when I stopped struggling. I felt sweat on my brow but couldn't wipe it away because of the mask. I looked at my bicep, not willing to touch it, and found the ANBU tattoo freshly carved and radiating chakra. I could feel it pulsing against my skin.

The chakra I could feel running through the spiral... it felt like the Hokage's powerful presence.

Dog gestured to my tattoo, "Red tattoos are regular ANBU. Captains have black tattoos."

"Noted." I droned, pushing myself up with my other arm.

The ANBU tattoo artist hummed, "You seem to have had a bad reaction."

"Yeah." I agreed, not wanting to look at my slowly bloating arm.

Turning to Dog, they said, "If the arm starts to lose feeling, or becomes unusable, take her to the medical bay immediately."

"Noted." Dog copied me. The ANBU artist huffed.

"I'm Horse, by the way, kid. By your mask, I would guess Wolf." Horse told me. I also would have guessed wolf if I looked at this mask.

I nodded and Horse snickered, elbowing Dog before leaving the room.

Dog looked at me, "Horse is a squad medic and fuinjutsu user. She is currently one of few who can apply an ANBU tattoo."

I waited for a moment and he added, "She has a sense of humor. An interesting one."

Something told me Horse was someone ANBU had to deal with frequently whether they liked it or not. Our next stop was what appeared to be a training room. Despite my new hyper awareness to my burning tattoo, my arm seemed to be perfectly fine. Dog closed the door behind us as I walked around, amazed that Konoha had such advanced underground architecture. It was concrete and kind of musty, but built sturdy and strong. There was a dirt floor and the training rooms were down further than the barracks so that they could be taller rooms with arching ceilings and lights built into both the walls and the ceiling.

"This is ANBU Field 4. I reserved it for us for the next few weeks." Dog explained, "You will report here at 0500 every morning and you will train until a brief lunch break at 1200 hours. Training resumes from 1300 hours to 2200."

I frowned, "That's a lot."

Dog tilted his head, "My thoughts are to get you out of training as soon as possible. The more you train each day, the fewer months you will be here."

I... actually appreciated he thought about that. I definitely hadn't considered how long it would take to get me to the level they wanted me at.

Taking in my silence, Dog ordered, "Two hundred push-ups."

"Ehhhhh?"

* * *

 **AN:**

 **I really want next chapter to be entirely training montage. But I also want 4k words per chapter. Oops.**

 **So I'm sorry for the delay in this chapter. I started college, art college to be specific, and I honestly don't have time to do anything. I haven't opened** **fanfiction in quite awhile. I didn't want to put this chapter up until I had the next chapter finished but I looked at the calendar and shit, even on my break I probably won't have time to write. So this is going up, and while I didn't want to put this up, this chapter is probably how its going to stay. Miyako I feel reacts correctly in this situation and I just need to push through.**

 **Sorry for the long wait and next chapter will happen eventually. I write a few sentences every few weeks .-.**

 **Thanks to the following for reviewing (:**

 **Rainbow shark  
MonochromeJoker29  
Chamele  
Dark Rose Charm  
Kenshin135  
animagirl  
Reign of Sorrow**


	6. Missing Sunlight

**Twilight River**

 _Chapter 6_

 _Missing Sunlight_

* * *

I received a lot of stares my first few days in the barracks. I was half the size of every other ANBU and according to Dog, I was quite a funny sight. I looked like a small ghost with my black hood pulled up over my brightly colored hair and such a fierce mask on a small body. I was clearly a child and children weren't supposed to be put in ANBU anymore. Yet here I was, looking like hell after each training session.

The first few days at ANBU bootcamp were the worst. My body wasn't prepared for the level of intensity Dog's workouts consisted of. Unlike training with Shisui-senpai and Itachi, Dog only pushed hard. I wasn't allowed breaks during training unless I could no longer move my body. I didn't make it halfway through the after lunch session for the first few weeks. The first few days the morning session was a struggle.

I dragged myself out of bed every day. I actually had no idea what the bed felt like because I was always unconscious as soon as my body could rest. I no longer lulled myself to sleep, floating on my chakra waves. Dog let me sleep soundly only the first week. Then he got mean and would randomly decide to test my immediate response to being attacked in my sleep.

"You look like shit." commented Hawk as I slipped a ration bar up my mask. My cloak was a mess because Dog had decided to see how I fared against jutsu as a special treat from surviving my first week. The answer is not very well.

I crunched down on it, "Dog-taichou keeps waking me up with sneak attacks."

Hawk laughed, "Bastard's thorough. You'll definitely improve under his training if you don't die."

"Gee, thanks."

Hawk returned to sharpening his kunai as I inhaled my breakfast. He looked up at me every so often to see what I was doing.

"How long have you been stuck in here?" Hawk questioned a few minutes later. He had only started bothering me a few days prior.

I frowned beneath my mask and said, "Just a week."

Hawk whistled, "You still have a long way to go, short stuff."

And Hawk was right.

.

"I... I..."

"Yes, Wolf-chan?"

"I, am so tired, I hate you, Dog."

"Dog-taichou, to you."

"Dog... Dog... I'm too tired to think of something better."

Dog snorted.

Fuck you, Dog.

.

My second week began with a rude introduction of poisons. ANBU, to build up an immunity to most common substances, ate food with little samples of poison in it. Dog didn't tell me and then laughed when I started violently projectile vomiting.

He was nice enough to hold back my hair as I tried to vomit into the sink that was a little too tall for me, "This is the first day of poison resistance."

I didn't answer, too busy emptying the contents of my stomach. I dry heaved for several minutes after I ran out of things to puke up. I rinsed my mouth out with water to try and get rid of the taste and then I slid to the floor to hold my screaming stomach.

"Ugh," I moaned, "Why?"

"I warned you yesterday that ANBU train their bodies to resist poisons." Dog demurred.

"You didn't say we were starting today!"

Dog hummed, "Oh? I didn't mention that?"

"I hate you." I pulled my mask back over my head and leaned my head on my knees. I plopped onto my side and Dog looked down at me. The black holes didn't share any sympathy, but he was still nice enough to hold back my hair when this process was repeated the next day. I started using my hair pin to secure all of my hair and not just some of it, specifically for this poison training.

Poisons were not fun, let me tell you. They took a toll on your body and different poisons did different things. We were starting with something that made me vomit and sick, but Dog promised me that they got worse than this.

By the end of that week, my body was sore and the following week was hell.

.

"Wolf-chan, did you remember to check your water?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, positive."

"Oh, I guess you don't know how to check for this particular poison type, then."

"You're supposed to teach me! What's going to happen to me?!"

"Maa, you might lose feeling in your phalanges. Definitely the metacarpals, carpals, tarsals and metatarsals."

"AuuuuughhhhhHHH."

.

The end of my first month I was physically exhausted and my mental status was going downhill. I was snappier than I had ever been in my second life and Dog thought it was funny how grumpy I was. I woke up almost every morning at different times because Dog was training my ability to wake up and deflect an attack. I was starting to become a light sleeper and Dog always got me somewhere to show me I fucked up, but I was able to get out of danger at this point. The cuts and nicks that he gave me were shallow if he thought I would receive a minor wound but he would stop and let me know if I was dead.

Training with Dog was something you just didn't get used to. He was unpredictable in that he would never follow the exact schedule of the day before. He mixed up the times that I focused on what and he made sure to keep me on my toes during my rests. Every so often Hawk would stop in, which at first would be a nice reprieve before Dog had him help with my training.

One especially grumpy morning, Hawk enticed me into a breakdown.

Dog was taking a break, watching from his spot leaning against the wall as Hawk threw various weaponry at me. Every so often I would be grazed but for the most part it went well. After what felt like two hours, but could have been any amount of time, Hawk threw his last senbon and I dodged so close I almost felt it. He was out of weapons at this point and he whistled.

"You keep improving, short stuff. You'll be done in no time." Hawk mentioned.

Dog snorted, "She was hit one-hundred and twenty-seven times. That number needs to drop to zero."

I groaned and I let my legs give out on me. Dog shook his head and tsked at me, "You know you won't be able to stand if you sit."

"Aw let her have a break, Dog. She's been training for awhile." Hawk said. He looked at the weapons scattered about the training grounds, "Although, Wolf-chan you're definitely gathering my weapons for me."

I groaned and plopped backwards into a broken sword stretch. Hawk came to stand over me and he gently kicked my leg to see if I could feel it anymore.

"Please don't." I murmured.

"I think she deserves some kind of treat, Dog. It's been what, a month?" Hawk sat down and leaned into a stretch.

Dog pushed off the wall and started to walk towards us, "She hasn't done anything to deserve a break."

I dug my fingers into the clay dirt and tried to push myself up. Hawk offered me a hand that I ignored. My abs screamed at me to stop using them and Dog had been right about me not being able to stand if I sat down. My legs locked and I shoved my hand under my mask to wipe at the gathering sweat.

Hawk flicked my mask's forehead, "Don't do that. You're going to get shit all over your face and then you'll get acne."

"I don't care." I grumbled.

"You should care. What would your little friends say if they saw you with a giant pimple on your forehead?" Hawk teased lightly.

I sniffled as I was reminded of my friends. I missed them.

"Hawk." Dog reprimanded, "Stop."

Hawk ignored him, "I bet they would say, 'Gosh, you've been gone for a month and come back looking like a dirt bug?"

I glared at him from under my mask and Hawk whistled, "I can almost feel that glower, Wolf-chan."

"Go away Hawk-senpai." My respect for both of them was an odd thing. Of course I respected their power, but all ANBU were dicks. I gave them proper respect on the outside but internally? Fuck them, Hawk doesn't deserve to be called senpai in my mind.

Hawk reached forward and flicked my mask right on the nose, "You'll see them eventually, don't fret."

That broke the tear gates. I felt my face scrunch up beneath the mask and Hawk almost immediately realized his mistake and held up his hands to try and pacify me.

"Eventually?" I echoed, "Forever, most likely."

"No, you're improving." Hawk insisted and Dog shifted awkwardly in his corner.

"Dog-taichou says otherwise." I growled after watching him move in my peripheral vision.

Hawk hushed me, similarly to how a parent would shush a child, and awkwardly pat my shoulder, "They're waiting for you."

I got angry. Waiting for me? They likely had no idea where I was. They probably hadn't noticed I was gone. We had been drifting apart and the loneliness had been killing me.

The loneliness of an ANBU trainee was worse.

I made a sound very similar to that of a wounded animal. Hawk backed away and I slammed my hand into the ground, "I hate it here!"

"Wolf, stand down." Dog ordered me, suddenly in front of me.

Stand down? Stand down? He wanted me to stand down. I looked up at him and gave a guttural low growl. I wanted to cry, and scream, and throw a tantrum.

Dog slipped into a fighting stance, "Wolf your chains are forming. Stand. Down."

I looked over my shoulder and blue bubbly chakra was stuck to my back. It actually looked a bit like I had an old world science fair volcano stuck out of my back with dark blue lava. The bubbles started to melt towards the floor and were beginning to form chain links. I took some deep breaths and Dog approached slowly as the bubbles started to evaporate. I felt my already low chakra reserve sputter with the loss of that much pure chakra and I fell forwards onto my hands. Dog leaned over me.

"We're done for today. You should take care to stretch frequently to prevent your muscles from locking."

I groaned in response.

Hawk whispered to Dog, "Hey, how old is Wolf-chan? Do you know?"

"Five... Six." Dog answered, a little unsure. Hawk was silent for a few moments. They probably assumed I was too tired to try and eavesdrop on their conversation but jokes on them, I'm a nosy person.

Finally, Hawk murmured, "That's... fucking awful. Dog, her body is still growing you need to go easy on her."

"She will be fine. This training will save her life in the future." Dog, under his breath, replied. Dog turned and left the room almost immediately after that and I rolled onto my back to stare at the ceiling. The lights flickered obnoxiously until Hawk stood over me and blocked them out.

Hawk offered me a hand and I took it. He pulled me up, doing most of the work, and I wobbled a bit as my legs protested. I walked heavily in my efforts to get back to the barracks where I dropped my armor plates and rolled into bed. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Turns out, stretching was just as important as Dog had told me. Dog ended up bringing Horse to see me when I was nearly unable to stand the next day.

Horse, moments after starting her examination with chakra, turned and cracked her fist into the side of Dog's head. Dog took it like a man and only brought his hand up to rub at the side of his head after she started scolding him.

"What do you think you're doing, you idiot! Did you not retain any information about basic training? You need rest days! Muscles need to rebuild! You're in ANBU and you don't know this?" Horse yelled as I felt something nice and warm in my leg muscles. I smiled through my mask. Healing chakra was nice sometimes.

Dog cut off Horse's tirade, "I know how training works, Horse. I expected her body to be more durable."

This time when Horse when to hit him he ducked under the punch. Horse grumbled and focused back on me, "Fucking prodigy," she coughed to poorly hide that, "Dog, I understand you want to push her through training as quick as possible but she needs rest days. Even if she were an adult this would be too much for her."

"I train her like I train myself," Dog argued, "If she can't handle this then she won't be fit for ANBU."

Horse didn't try to hit him this time, "Don't argue with the goddamn medic. After I fix her today she can train tomorrow, the next day, then the third day she gets a rest day. Repeat that schedule. You need to understand that you have been training and building yourself up to where you are now. Your body expects hours of training per day. Wolf's body hasn't been built up to that of your typical chunin, let alone a full ANBU. And..."

There was a tense silence for a moment.

Horse took a deep breath and seemed to count to ten to calm herself, "Dog?"

Dog was fearless enough to ask, "Yes?"

"Poison? You're starting her on poison training?"

"Yes. Of course."

Horse sounded like she was contemplating on hitting him again as she said, "Halve the dosage. Actually, quarter it. Wolf weighs about as much as my cat."

Dog hummed, "That's a fat cat, Horse."

He didn't dodge the side kick that sent him two bunks down.

Horse sniffed, "Let's get you fixed up nicely, okay Wolf?"

.

"You've been reading a study guide for the last six hours on your rest day, Wolf-chan."

"I enjoy reading."

"Wouldn't you rather do something more... exciting?"

"I'm not allowed to leave the base, Hawk-senpai."

"That's boring."

"Hawk-senpai."

"Yes?"

"Shut up and go away."

"So mean to me, Wolf-chan!"

.

Three months into training and my body felt strong. After Dog figured out the best way to train a six year old things progressed much better. I still went to sleep some nights with an aching body and I hadn't dreamed due to exhaustion since I got to the base, but things weren't completely terrible. There were a few issues left over from the initial month's push that I was slowly fixing. The training had actually weakened some of my muscles and ligaments, and some minor injuries were less minor than Dog expected. Everything would be fixed with time, Horse promised.

Dog was watching me spar lightly with Hawk. According to Hawk he would fight me at a chunin level and while I was winded and tired, the match hadn't been lost yet. The rules for sparring were that if I lasted longer than two hours it would be counted as a win for me and we would advance me to the next level. So far I had lost to the chunin stage twice and I was determined to make the third time the charm. Of course I could also win by knocking out or subduing Hawk but there was no chance in hell I was going to be able to do that for a long while. Meanwhile, I lost if Hawk subdued me or knocked me out.

Also, I was not allowed to manifest any kind of chakra chain. My chains were admittedly deadly and I had absolutely no control over them. My chains only had one setting, which was murder.

I dodged a volley of senbon and responded with a few kunai of my own. Hawk pretty much ignored them as Dog called out, "Fifteen minutes remaining."

"Doing good, Wolf-chan. I'm not letting you win that easily though." Hawk promised and he disappeared in a shunshin. I spun out of the way of a grab and I retaliated with a kick aimed for his knees. Hawk replaced himself with one of the rocks that decorated this particular training room.

I could feel the intensity bar raise as Hawk continued to shunshin around me. I was put on heavy defense and I tried to read what Hawk was planning for. Was he trying to herd me in a certain direction? Was he bluffing? My mind was just as tired as the rest of me was.

Hawk's fist clipped my jaw with a hook that I hadn't quite managed to slip under. I jabbed at a pressure point by his elbow and Hawk disappeared again. This time he appeared some ways away and his hands flashed through hand signs. The only warning I had was the glow under his mask as he went to lift it.

I got the hell out of the way as flames licked my heals. I was surprised at Hawk's ability with ninjutsu; I had him pegged as a weapons user.

The thing about fighting Hawk was he knew all my tricks by now. I couldn't get him with my Shisui-senpai trained speed, nor did I surprise him with my quick and dirty thinking.

Speaking of dirty thinking, Hawk came in close again and I grabbed a handful of dirt to throw up at his face. The mask was a good barrier against cheap shots like that but I was so much shorter than Hawk I was able to sneak it in underneath the mask where there was some room.

The match ended a few minutes later with my victory after I spent the remaining time keeping away from Hawk's sudden flurry of hidden weapons. I was nicked quite a bit but nothing serious. Hawk carried a lot of senbon on him and they were scattered about the room.

"Good job!" Hawk praised me before he looked around the room, "How about we play rock paper scissors to determine who cleans up?"

I fell over and Dog, for once, took my side and said, "Your weapons, your responsibility."

I was glad for that. Hawk sighed and started to collect his senbon slowly while Dog came to stand over me. He continued to scribble on a clipboard. After about a minute he hummed.

"You're improving. Your hand to hand combat is passable. Your evasion tactics need to be worked on though. Now we will focus on jutsu for the next month or two because frankly, your academy jutsu are atrocious. Your chakra chains are a also a major concern we will begin working on. You've been slotted as both an assassin and as a heavy hitting tank. These skill sets contrast each other so after we finish basics we will spend a month or two on those specialties. I aim to have you out of bunker lock down in six months." Dog explained quickly, reading over his clipboard and seeming pleased with it.

"I didn't think you were a note taker." I laughed breathlessly.

Dog held the clipboard to his body and sounded very detached, "Something I picked up from a mentor."

I snorted, "And what will I pick up from you? Your grumpiness?"

Punishment for that remark was swift: Dog dropped the clipboard right on my head.

.

"Channel your chakra into that paper."

"Oh, we're testing for my affinity? That's fun!"

"..."

"Oh, its all wet, does that mean water?"

"Yes. A surprise."

"What did you expect?"

"With the way your chains shredded someone into pieces, wind."

"..."

"Water is convenient though. I have more water affiliated jutsu than wind."

"...alright."

.

I was a small girl with a growing chakra reserve. This made it incredibly difficult for me to learn most big jutsu that Dog wanted me to learn in regards to my water affinity. This was especially so because the ANBU bunker did not have a water source large enough for me to practice with so I had to convert chakra into water or pull it from the atmosphere. The bunker wasn't very damp so it took a good majority of my reserves to do anything that involved my water ninjutsu.

I could manage a weak water bullet after the first few days of training. I thought that was pretty impressive.

When we didn't focus on my ninjutsu, we had moved on to assassination techniques. How to walk without any noise, how to make no sound at all, how to breath in time with the atmosphere, and other things that involved me remaining hidden. The entire ANBU force ended up roped into an assassination type game where I had to tag them in the back with a piece of paper without them noticing it.

Admittedly, it was fun.

The first time we played I did horrible. Not a single ANBU was fooled by my light steps. It took a few weeks before I was quiet enough to get any of them. Dog sounded pleased as my number of tags increased every time we played.

After I was able to spit out a water bullet and my assassination training seemed promising, Dog unloaded an armful of scrolls on me.

"You like reading, so read these in your spare time." Dog ordered me.

"What are they?" I questioned, dropping the scrolls onto my bunk.

"Scrolls that will teach you jutsu. Learn them in your spare time after your training camp is over, or on your off days. Tomorrow you will fight Horse at jounin level. We will decide where to go from there." Dog informed me.

I nodded, "Yes sir!"

.

"Ne, ne, Wolf-chan."

"Yes, Horse-senpai?"

"Here. I smuggled this in for you."

"Ah, candy! Thank you so much, Horse-senpai!"

"No problem, kid. Don't let Dog get to you. You'll be back outside in no time."

"I... thank you."

.

Horse tilted her head as she regarded me for our spar. Dog was settled to the side, taking notes again. He hadn't called a start to our match yet and Horse was appraising me. She wasn't wearing the ANBU cloak although most ANBU forego the cloak in the bunker if they aren't heading out for something. Her hair was braided and wrapped around into a bun on the top of her head.

I still wore the cloak around the base, mostly because I thought it was funny and made me look like a little ghost, but I could feel my hairpin securing some of my hair at the base of my neck.

Only a little bit longer, Shisui-senpai. I'll be back soon.

Dog looked up and hummed, "Did I forget to start the match? Fight!"

Horse was faster than my fight with Hawk had been and before Dog even finished speaking, Horse was on me. And I realized, very quickly, Horse was scary. She used wire and I was afraid I was going to lose an arm or a leg fighting her. I managed to slip through most of her attempts to ensnare me but she moved the wire very easily. They were like extensions of her body.

The first hour of the spar was mostly me avoiding the wires and spitting out pathetic water bullets at Horse. After the first hour Horse decided to go with close combat and I almost lost when a chakra scalpel took out the use of my left arm. I couldn't use water bullets anymore so I resorted to darting in and out, trying to get a hit in. Horse caught some of my kicks and I thought she was going to break my leg a few times but I was flexible enough to usually get out.

The spar ended closely and when Dog called it, Horse immediately came at me with her hands glowing green.

"You were very good, Wolf-chan. I understand the pressure of fighting an opponent you aren't matched against, especially after I numbed the nerves in your arm. Your offense needs some work though, despite that. You were very defensive." Horse hummed as she fixed up my arm.

Dog agreed, "I've been working very general with her and her specialization so far has been assassination. I expect her to work more on her arsenal after I have her at ANBU level in her general skills. From today we will work on her chakra chains."

"Just my chakra chains?" I asked.

He nodded and looked at me, "Those will be the deadliest weapon you will have. You may pick up other jutsu in the future and I will make sure you are a deadly assassin, but for heavy combat your chains will be a force to be reckoned with."

I breathed in deeply, "Two months?"

"In two months you will fight Cat with no restriction. ANBU against ANBU. To leave you must not just survive the fight, but you must knock out or subdue Cat." Dog informed me.

"Why Cat? I haven't met Cat yet, I thought you would be my final test." I admitted.

"You know nothing about Cat and Cat knows nothing about you. It will be the most unbiased way of testing you." Dog explained.

Horse, as she finished fixing me up, laughed, "Cat is going to be in for a surprise if little Wolf-chan can get her chains going."

Dog shrugged, "He'll be fine if he makes it past the first ones."

.

"I hate these chains sometimes!"

"I didn't know we were redecorating the base today. This hole would make a nice window to see into the training room."

"Go away Hawk-senpai!"

"Oh? Your chains are quite offensive for such a defensive little fighter."

BOOM.

"Not very nice of you, Wolf-chan. Those chains could hurt me. Although, now the window is bigger and that's a plus."

"Go away!"

.

Cat was not very impressive to look at. He was rather boring with brown hair and nothing noteworthy about him. He was looking down at me and I was getting the feeling he was a little confused.

"You want me to fight Wolf?" Cat questioned, looking over at Dog.

Dog, who had foregone his clipboard for this fight, nodded and crossed his arms, "Do not hold back, just like we discussed."

My head swiveled harshly, "I thought you said this would be a nonbiased fight! What did you discuss with him?"

"Nothing important." Dog dismissed before called, "Fight!"

Both Cat and I appraised each other.

Cat rubbed the back of his head, "Good luck, Wolf?" It sounded more like a question than a statement.

I made the first move by immediately spitting a water bullet at Cat. Cat got out of the way and responded with an earth jutsu that I avoided by running up the wall. Cat then sent a much meaner water bullet towards me and I dropped from the ceiling, aiming towards cat.

Alright, I told myself, you don't want to hurt Cat, but you really want to knock him the fuck out so you can see sunlight again.

Cat paused from his hand signs when I felt four chains ripple out of my back and I sent two towards him. Cat got the hell out of the way as the chains created a crater where he had once been standing. Suddenly, Cat was in try hard mode. It's like he realized I was actually a threat or something because suddenly he was throwing jutsu at me and I was dodging.

I could call nearly an unlimited amount of chains we learned, depending on the size, and I was actually able to vary the size if I meditated a very long time. Dog had nicknamed my usual chains my Angry chains, because they were killers. I still hadn't found a way to gently restrain someone with my chains yet. Every training dummy I had tried on over the past month had exploded and Dog decided trying on people wasn't the best idea.

I also normally used almost all my reserves up with my chains. I had a lot of chakra for a kid and Horse was excited to see how much my reserves grew in the next few years because she expected I would rival Hoshigaki Kisame, nicknamed the tailed beast without a tail. I didn't think I would have that much chakra but she said I already was at the normal reserves that a chunin female would have if she were from a clan. Uzumakis, she explained, were incredibly intimidating for their boundless energy and endless chakra.

Currently while training I could call eight full Angry chains before a ninth Angry chain would knock me into dangerously low chakra levels. Dog usually had me call a ninth just to grow my reserves.

So I decided, I was putting my everything into this fight against Cat, because I wanted to leave!

Two more chains came out of my back and then I called two more. My chains cost a lost of pure chakra but Cat wouldn't be able to come anywhere near me with this many chains out. I could extend them about the width of the room but I wouldn't be able to call any more if I extended all six of them and if I dispersed my chains then I would lose three fourths of my chakra reserves.

Cat's body language suggested he was a little nervous as my chains broke through the room around us and I tried to swat him like a fly. He was fast but I was angry and my chains were quick. I wanted to see sunlight again! My friends! I missed them!

Cat tangled two of them and dove in towards me. One of my guarding chains shot forward and Cat used an earth jutsu to bounce over it. My remaining guard chain wrapped in front of me to block while my other chains retracted inwards. I felt a rush of power as I pulled in and Cat seemed to have realized he made a mistake. The chains circled and got stuck around another. My last guarding chain became the bow on top as Cat was surrounded by chains and didn't seem like he wanted to try touching them.

Dog idly clapped, "Very wasteful of your chakra, using six chains to subdue one opponent, but at least you found a way to subdue him without separating his torso from the rest of his body."

Cat, very nervous now, demanded in a higher pitch, "She could have what?!"

"You would have been fine," Dog dismissed, "Even if she took you off guard with her chains you still had a trump card to save yourself."

Cat sighed very deeply, "Next time, warn me ahead of time please. I expected taijutsu and ninjutsu, not this."

After a few moments where I didn't disperse the chains Cat called, "You made your point, Wolf. I surrender."

Almost immediately I disconnected the chains and they evaporated into pretty blue mist that slowly faded away. I felt three fourths of my chakra suddenly disappear and it was like I was sucker punched in the gut. I staggered for a moment before collecting myself.

Dog tossed something at me and I caught it.

I eyed the new tanto in my hands with confusion and Dog said, "A congratulatory present. ANBU standard tanto. It's a requirement so after a week of rest, you'll be learning that with me and I'll start taking you out on missions."

"Oh." I muttered, "There's still more to learn?"

"You sound disappointed. I thought you liked learning." Dog almost but not quite teased.

I nodded absently, "I do. I love learning. Despite the fact I hated being locked here for months I enjoyed learning all of this, speaking of which, what day is it?"

Cat answered for me, "The twenty third of May."

"You've been here roughly nine months." Dog added helpfully.

"That's a long time. I wonder if my friends missed me?" I murmured.

"Well, go find out. You're free for the next week. Well, Hokage-sama will want to speak with you but you can stop by later today after you go get some real food and see the sunlight." I kind of ignored Dog as he spoke. I heard what I had to do and I gathered my things. He followed me and gave me a brief rundown of how I wasn't allowed to tell anyone I was ANBU, we sealed my gear into a scroll and Dog, for the first time, saw me without my mask. I didn't really care though as I climbed out the first exit I found. This exit led into an alley by the hospital and I stumbled a bit in the sun.

"Sunlight!" I cried. A few people walking past the alley gave me odd looks but I didn't really care. I was more interested in feeling the sun on my skin. My shiny new hitai-ate, tied snug around my ANBU tattoo for now, felt heavy on my body. Finally having the time I peeled back the hitai-ate to stare at my tattoo in natural light. Unimpressed, I put the hitai-ate back. What was impressive was how _pale_ I had gotten! I looked like a ghost!

Staring up at the sun, I cooed, "Spring sunlight feels so good."

I paused, "May. It's... May."

Finally, I swore, "I missed my own birthday! I'm seven!"

* * *

 **AN:**

 **This chapter... killed me. I love writing for Twilight River normally but this entire training montage has been an entire semester of disaster. I don't want Miyako to be too strong too fast but at the same time, she needs to be on the level of an ANBU, or at least able to pass a sparring test. I also didn't want her to be in training for too long, but I wanted her to be there long enough where it made sense she could at least take an ANBU with her Uzumaki Bullshit Jutsu. Not gonna lie though, this chapter probably has errors everywhere. Errors and inconsistencies. Like, I had to go recheck Miyako's age five or so times.**

 **Next chapter, I'll clear up her abilities and where she stands in power level a bit more. This entire montage chapter is a giant filler.**

 **Thank you to the following for reviewing (:**

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	7. Shisui's Interlude I

**_Twilight River_**

 _Shisui's Interlude I_

 _Eyes Like The Color of Twilight_

* * *

He saw the blood red first.

It was just his job. He was supposed to patrol and keep general peace. Help lost children, maybe stop some rascals, nothing too intense. Shisui was a talented shinobi but he was still young and while he had seen his fair share of shit towards the end of the war, he was still a child. In peace time, he spent a lot more time than he thought he would patrolling the village.

Generally, something red was a trigger. Red as merely a color induced anger, anxiety and trauma. Shisui didn't have the same trauma as some of the older shinobi but he still flinched because blood was still fresh in his mind from the war. But the red he saw wasn't blood. It was short fluffy hair that was actually a bit purple in the shadows.

Shisui approached the child because he could tell they didn't belong. They were small and scruffy looking with ratty clothes and they were looking into a mirror like they had never seen one before. As he approached the girl turned to look at him with wide eyes. She made eye contact with him.

Eyes the color of twilight, he mused. Those were pretty eyes. This little girl was fortunate in the looks department.

Shisui crossed his arms when she didn't say anything, and he asked, "Did you get lost from your parents, little miss?"

"What bout' you?" she huffed. She stuck out her bottom lip and Shisui thought it was definitely a powerful move.

Shisui pointed to the headband across his forehead with his thumb, "I'm a ninja. You're a little young to be out by yourself. Did you sneak away for an adventure? Hm?"

A smile threatened his lips and the girl pulled her lip back in, realizing she wasn't getting anywhere with the pout, "I'm a big kid."

"Sure. Where do you live? I'll walk you home now. Your mom's probably having a heart attack." Shisui offered gently.

There was a flicker of something in the girl's eyes, "Def' not."

Shisui crouched so that he was eye level with the soulful eyes, "I'm sure she definitely is. That's a mom's job y'know."

"My mom's not around no more." the girl told him rather bluntly, "How 'bout dat?"

Frowning, Shisui questioned, "Are you from one of the orphanages?"

"No." the girl snapped. Shisui didn't let him smirk show but he could clearly read what that answer meant.

Humming he looked over her clothes and pulled the tag from the back of her collar while she struggled to stop him. He glanced at it, smiled at the big 3 on the tag and then let go.

"How about this." he told her with what he hoped was an assuring smile, "I'll buy you a popsicle if you go back with me afterwards."

Shisui was a nice kid. He liked being nice to younger kids. And this little girl looked like she could use a treat. Besides, a little orphan could always use some kind of treat, right?

She narrowed her eyes as if she were making the biggest bargain of her life, "Wha' kind?"

"I like green tea. We can share one." Shisui thought it would be a good, solid flavor to start the kid with.

"Never had." she huffed, looking at Shisui. He thought she looked rather unsure of herself, so he extended a hand to her.

"Try it?"

Her hand was small and warm in his own.

.

Shisui's eyes fluttered open and he looked up at a white ceiling. The hospital, he recognized easily. No wonder he had been having such a good dream. The pain killers they probably had in his IV likely had him in a deep sleep.

He shifted and gazed out the window. The sun was going down and he was sure he would easily be unconscious again in an hour or two. He tried to recall the hazy memory of the injury that sent him here. He recalled getting a good stab wound between his ribs, and damn did that hurt, but the squad medic healed it enough where he could get back to the village after completing the mission.

The door to his room slid open slowly and quietly. His favorite cousin slipped inside with a stressed look on his face. When he saw Shisui was awake the worry only diminished slightly.

"I'm glad you're awake," his cousin confessed, "I was worried."

Shisui grinned, "Worried about me? Really?"

Itachi frowned, "I'm more worried about Miyako-chan, to be perfectly honest."

That wiped the grin off his face immediately. With a troubled frown he looked towards the window, "She's alright."

"Today should have been her birthday." Itachi countered softly. Both paused in troubled silence. It had been over six months since either had seen her.

Shisui shifted in his hospital bed and sadly uttered, "I know."

Itachi turned to look out the window and smiled at the soft flurries that were blessing Konoha this year. It had snowed a few times each year for the past few years. They had even had a few heavier storms with a lot of snow. The dry spell Konoha had been in for its winters seemingly was ending.

After half an hour Itachi left when Shisui drifted back into a blissful sleep. Though his dream was not as blissful as his still body made it out to be.

.

Six months ago, Shisui hugged a small girl amidst a bloodbath. She was screaming her throat raw and crying while chakra evaporated around them. Blood stained her clothes and Shisui wasn't sure how to fix this. Honestly, the situation itself was fucked. All he could do was offer comfort until she eventually exhausted herself.

An ANBU dropped down beside Shisui and appraised the situation. Shisui relayed what information he knew, which wasn't much, and Miyako was silent and heavy. Another ANBU dropped down and Shisui begrudgingly handed his unconscious friend over.

Shisui had entered ANBU as a trainee a year ago, having just come of an age where he was allowed to. He wasn't part of anything terrible, not the Sabotage unit or Seduction Unit. He wasn't even in the Assassination Unit or Infiltration Unit. Shisui was one of the general ANBU who ran missions as part of the Combat Unit. Maybe in the future when he was older they would slot him somewhere else but for the most part, he was still expected to be a kid. He had only just gotten his ANBU tattoo after passing a series of laborious missions and he was really only an ANBU on file. The Hokage was pushing off sending him on most missions and was slowly easing him into being an ANBU agent.

As for him, Shisui had never wanted darker things to find Miyako. Definitely not cheerful and smiling Miyako. Shisui wasn't sure what was going to happen to her but if ANBU were taking her away, and if she had done all this damage herself, Shisui had some kind of idea. And that idea terrified him.

As he was already there he unsealed his mask and slipped it over his face. A slight genjutsu covered anything that could identify him and he helped clean up the remains of the bodies Miyako had slaughtered. He looked at the bloody chunks and thought to himself, how could sweet little Miyako do something like this?

Shisui would never forget this event and it would haunt his nightmares for a very long time.

.

Shisui was released from the hospital quickly and was intercepted by one Uchiha Izumi on his way home.

As he had been for the past few months, Shisui immediately began her confrontation with a lie, "Oh, Izumi-san, how nice to see you! I know you must have been hoping to see Itachi with me but-"

Izumi cut him off, "Have you found out where Miyako-chan is, yet?"

Shisui shifted uncomfortably and shook his head, "No, sorry, Izumi-san."

Izumi looked at him with a very unimpressed look. She crossed her arms, "Are you sure you don't have any idea?"

"No." Shisui lied effortlessly.

With a sigh, Izumi shook her head. Softly she murmured, "Alright."

Shisui stayed silent and tried to convince himself that wherever Miyako was, she would be fine. And someday, she would return to them and brighten up their lives again. But he could still recall every detail from the last time he saw her and his body shivered.

.

It was a sunny spring day when Shisui was supposed to be grocery shopping for his grandfather. He had too much energy and he really didn't want to go shopping just yet. Truthfully he just wanted to go find Itachi and bother him for the day but he knew Itachi was out of the village at the moment. He passed by one of the fruit stands where vendors were beginning to sell watermelons perfect for suikawari.

He was reminded of Itachi and Miyako, and Shisui internally groaned. He kicked off suddenly and a few civilians startled as he launched onto the rooftops and started to sprint away. He would potentially be reprimanded later if any of his cousins saw, since it was considered rude to the civilians to do what he just did. Shisui didn't really care though, he wanted to run away from the thought of his two favorite friends being gone.

As he crossed the rooftops over one of the civilian housing districts, a flash of red caught his eye. With a sense of deja-vu settling over him, Shisui came to an abrupt stop on the next rooftop and peered back onto the street. His eyes found the source of red and he almost thought it had been a false alarm. Then he saw the silver hair pin. He realized that he was actually seeing Miyako again, in the flesh.

She looked small and ragged but her hair was longer than he remembered. She was, ironically, in the same spot she had been in when they first met when she was an orphanage escapee. She was even crouched down to stare into the same mirror.

With his mood suddenly sky high, Shisui was jumping down without even thinking about what he was going to say. He had so many questions, and he knew some of them she couldn't answer, but right now the only thing on his mind was that she was back.

Miyako was back, and Shisui was so glad that soon they would all be together again. It was almost enough for Shisui to forget all his nightmares. Almost.

* * *

 **AN:**

 **This is a relatively short interlude. I wanted to add some of Shisui's perspective, as well as some insight to what was going on during the last chapter. Shisui is about fourteen here, compared to Miyako's seven.**

 **I also wanted to kind of clear up some ANBU stuff? Kind of? An interludes really not the place for that, but there's a little bit of that in there.**

 **Next chapter is like, 1800 words right now? I'm on Spring Break so I hope I'll have a chapter up by the time I go back to college. Let me tell you all, I'm tired. I slept for twelve hours as soon as I reached my bed.**

 **Thanks to the following for reviewing (:**

 **PleasegiveMeaPenname  
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	8. Returned

**_Twilight River_**

 _Chapter 7_

 _Returned_

* * *

My priority after basking in the sunlight for a few minutes after my release was food. I had eaten only tasteless rations for the past nine months and I wanted something with flavor! The issue was I didn't have money on me so I had to go crawling back to the orphanage instead. When I walked in a few of the kids looked like they'd seen a ghost and when Kotoko-san laid eyes upon me, she sneered.

"You're back?" she asked, "I thought you were gone for good."

"I've finished my training." I replied through my teeth, rather angry to see her face again even after months of being apart.

Kotoko-san eyed the hitai-ate on my arm, "That marks you as an adult. You're no longer welcome in my orphanage. Gather your belongings and leave. You're wasting space."

My mouth dropped, "I don't have any money! Or anywhere to live!"

"That's not my problem, now, is it?" Kotoko-san retorted. She turned and left and I went to the room I used to live in. My notebooks and clothes were in a drawer and I sealed them into the scroll with my ANBU gear. I didn't have much and I wasn't sure if I would fit in my old clothes anymore. I didn't know if I had grown or if I had changed in any way.

I took to the roads as I wondered what I could do. I didn't have money so I couldn't stop in at a restaurant and eat. I dropped in at the Hokage's office and the receptionist took down my name and told me I could come back in six hours to see the Hokage. I would talk to him about my sudden lack of residence, although I supposed I could sleep in the ANBU barracks if I really wanted to. I just really didn't want to step foot in there again until I was required to.

I wandered the village and wondered where my friends were. I didn't want to be creepy and just stop by their houses, especially after not seeing them for more than nine months in some cases. As I aimlessly walked I paused when I passed a vaguely familiar spot. Dangling as a decoration was a mirror that I recognized as the mirror that had first shown me what Uzumaki Miyako looked like. I knelt down to appraise myself in it again. My face was relatively unchanged except for the baby teeth that had been knocked out during training. My hair had gone on a wild growth spurt and I could only manage to hold half of it in a bun with the pin Shisui-senpai had given me. I looked very unkempt but that didn't really bother me.

I was startled when I heard someone touch down behind me and I jumped up, ready for one of Dog's sneak attacks. I was thoroughly shocked though when I realized that it was Shisui-senpai, in the flesh, standing in front of me.

We were both silent for a few heavy seconds. We stared at each other and I wondered when Shisui-senpai had suddenly gone through a growth spurt and gained another inch or two. His hair was the same mess it usually was and he looked a bit tanner than I last remembered. But what really made me happy was the warmth in his eyes as he looked at me.

Then suddenly Shisui-senpai had me in his arms and he was spinning me around, yelling, "Miyako-chan!"

I laughed, it feeling a bit weird after being so serious for so long, as he put me down and grinned at me wildly, demanding, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm wandering around." I explained vaguely and Shisui-senpai shook his head with a snort, asking, "Why?"

I shrugged with a forced lackadaisical smile and Shisui-senpai looked over at the mirror with an amused expression, "Isn't this where we first met?"

I nodded, "I was thinking that too!"

"You know what that means we should do?" Shisui-senpai asked, offering me a hand. I knew what he meant.

"Buy me a popsicle!" I demanded immediately, putting my hand in his. He looked down at my hands for a second, looking a bit sad, before he turned a bit to the side and offered me his back.

I grinned at him and very proudly informed him, "I can roof hop now, too, you know!"

Shisui-senpai tilted his head to the side and pulled me closer, "So? It's more fun this way, isn't it?"

"True!" I agreed, jumping on his back and letting out a gleeful yell as he jumped to the roof. He stood there for a moment and I gazed around us. The village felt so alive and beautiful now that I had been holed up for so long. I suddenly could appreciate Konoha for all its worth.

Then Shisui-senpai was moving and I felt like I did the first time Shisui-senpai had carried me across the rooftops. The wind rushed through my hair until Shisui-senpai touched down at the nearest vendor. He bought a popsicle, green tea of course, and we sat on one of the nearby benches as he opened it and broke it into two pieces.

I savored the flavor as I bit into mine. Shisui-senpai watched with an amused expression.

"It's been awhile." I hummed.

Shisui-senpai smirked, "It does look like you haven't had a popsicle in awhile."

I rolled my eyes at him, "Don't tease me. It's been a long time since I've seen you."

"I know." was all he said. He turned away and looked forward for a bit.

I kicked my feet and almost inhaled my popsicle. There was no use in taking your time with a popsicle, if you ask me. And you can try and avoid an awkward silence if you really go at whatever you're eating.

I was crunching on the stick when I announced, "I've learned a lot of cool stuff you know."

"Ho? What have you learned?" Shisui-senpai questioned, turning back to look at me. He was forcing some of his excitement for the topic it seemed, but I couldn't really tell how much was forced and how much was genuine.

"Well, I can roof hop now, like I said. I haven't actually run on an actual roof yet, but the theory is there." I explained.

Shisui-senpai snorted, "If I let you on a roof right now I bet you would blow the shingles off."

"Would not!" I retorted, but I was smiling and so was he, "I can also do way more push ups and other exercises now. My academy three are all fixed up. I can henge, create more than three bunshin, and kawarimi with things smaller than the academy logs."

"Impressive, have you learned the shunshin yet?" Shisui-senpai inquired. His popsicle was almost done now.

I shook my head, "Not yet. My... mentor didn't teach me yet."

"Good!" Shisui-senpai announced loudly, holding up his now empty stick, "Because I want to teach you that!"

I went to ask him why before I remembered, and I chuckled, "Oh? I get to learn the shunshin from Shunshin no Shisui himself?"

Rubbing the back of his head, Shisui-senpai murmured, "So you remember that nickname."

"Of course I do." I told him proudly, "Don't others call you that too?"

Shisui-senpai looked a little more sheepish now, "Well, now they do. When I first told you that though I was just a kid, boasting."

"And what are you now?" I laughed.

"Excuse me, I'm technically a teenager now." Shisui-senpai informed me with a joking grin on his face.

I shrugged, "Well, according to Kotoko-san, I'm an adult now."

"Oh?" Shisui-senpai lost his humor a bit, "How did that come up? I know you don't like speaking to Kotoko-san."

I bit my lip. I didn't really want to tell him I was a homeless bum now, but I also didn't want to lie. In my excitement I totally brought up a stupid subject. Sometimes I ran my mouth before I actually thought. I sighed and figured Shisui-senpai, my friend, deserved whatever truths I could give him, "She kicked me out of the orphanage."

Shisui-senpai immediately looked concerned, "She what?!"

I nodded and looked down at my lap. The hem of my shirt was a bit high, I had grown while in training. I would have to buy new clothes as well as somewhere to live.

With a growl in his throat, Shisui-senpai hissed, "How could she do that!"

"It's no secret Kotoko-san and I don't get along. She saw this," I gestured to my hitai-ate, "And kicked me out."

"Is she legally able to do that?" Shisui-senpai wondered, very seriously. At that moment I didn't really think about how he hadn't really asked me about my new status as a shinobi.

I wasn't sure about how legal Kotoko-san was being, but I didn't really care. I voiced this, "I don't really want to go back there anyway. I'll make some money eventually and get an apartment."

"And what are you going to do before that?" Shisui-senpai questioned, eyes boring into my own, "You need somewhere to sleep, and you need to eat too."

"I don't know, okay? I wasn't expecting to get kicked out!" I huffed, sliding down in the bench. Shisui-senpai rubbed his face and we sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Well, I guess you're staying with me then." Shisui-senpai said, and I shot up in surprise.

"I'm what?" I demanded.

Shisui-senpai smiled at me, "You can stay with me. My grandfather won't mind. And Mikoto-oba likes you, so she'll give permission for you to stay in the compound!"

"Not that I don't want to-" I began but Shisui-senpai cut me off, very excited, "We have a spare room that can be yours, even!"

A room all to myself sounded wonderful, to be honest. I considered it. I didn't want to be a burden to Shisui-senpai but at the same time...

Shisui-senpai whooped when I agreed.

.

Shisui-senpai's house was one floor yet very spacious. It was rather empty of pictures or any kind of homely decor but there was a shrine for Shisui-senpai's parents and grandmother. It felt like a small compound with long halls that connected the rooms and opened to the outside. It also had a spacious yard with wild plants and bushes along the edge. There was a well kept koi pond that took up almost a third of the yard and the fountain that fed into it made a bubbling noise.

I was very nervous as he led me around on the grand tour. He pointed out the doors to the multiple unused rooms, showed me his which he admitted was messy and he didn't want me to see it when it was disorganized, and he gestured to the master bedroom that his grandfather slept in.

"Are you sure your grandfather won't mind?" I asked, probably for the seventh time since we had started the tour.

Shisui-senpai grinned, "Grandfather is understanding. If we explain your situation, he can't say no."

One of the doors slid open and both Shisui-senpai and I jumped back as a man's voice stated, "Uchiha Shisui, what mischief are you up to now?"

An older Uchiha stood there, looking distinctly unimpressed. His hair was more of the pepper in salt and pepper hair but his face showed his age. The wrinkles he had were minimal and tight but his eyes were what gave him away as an elder.

"Grandfather!" Shisui-senpai said with respect, bowing his head, "This is my friend, Miyako-chan!"

"It's very nice to meet you, Uchiha-sama." I bowed at my waist and Shisui-senpai rose his head before I even thought about coming back up.

Shisui-senpai looked at his grandfather very seriously while his grandfather's expression hadn't changed at all. Shisui-senpai, in a firm tone, told his grandfather, "Miyako-chan needs somewhere to stay and I offered our spare room."

Quicker than I would have expected from the old man, Shisui-senpai was suddenly hissing as a hand came down on the top of his head. Shisui-senpai yelped and brought his hands up to protect himself.

Shisui-senpai's grandfather rolled his eyes and only looked at me briefly, "Of course your friend can stay. What I'm talking about is you scaring the civilians! You're too old to be acting like a rascal, Shisui."

My jaw dropped and I stood pin straight as Shisui-senpai complained, "All I did was jump onto the rooftops!"

"Don't give me that. Mikoto-san herself watched you scare them while she was in the market today! You know the etiquette for roof hopping perfectly well but chose to ignore it. Accept the consequences." grouched Shisui-senpai's grandfather.

Then the old man turned to me and, suddenly becoming much less imposing, warmly told me, "It's nice to finally meet you, Miyako-chan. My name is Kagami, and I'm Shisui's poor old grandfather."

"Poor? Old? You can outrun me any day." grumbled Shisui-senpai but he was beaming at his grandfather.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Uchiha-" I was immediately cut off.

"Call me Kagami." the man told me, then he asked, "Did Shisui show you to the guest room?"

I nodded and Kagami glanced at Shisui-senpai with an approving gaze, "Feel free to stay as long as you need."

I bowed again and Shisui-senpai told me to settle into my new room while he cleaned his up a bit so that he didn't have to hide it from me. I laughed, and Kagami muttered something about how Shisui-senpai was finally tidying his room up a bit. I retreated into what would be my new room and I stood in the middle of it for awhile, just observing.

I wiggled my toes into the tatami floor. I missed having real beds as opposed to the futons of the orphanage. The ANBU barracks were probably the closest thing to a bed I was going to have until I could afford my own place. Now, in Shisui-senpai's home, I would be sleeping on a shikifuton. I imagined it would be like a sleeping bag but more comfortable. The guest room was bare of anything decorative but had a cushion and a built in desk. There was an alcove for my things that had multiple drawers and a sliding screen to reveal a newer style closet.

While I marveled at how traditional Shisui-senpai's home was, it made me feel a little improper. Having come from an orphanage I was barely suited for such a nice room.

There was a knock on my door and Shisui-senpai called, "When you're done settling in, want to go look for Izumi? Itachi is out of the village on a mission."

"I'm ready when you are!" I replied, really having nothing to settle.

.

Visiting Izumi consisted of a lot of hugs. As soon as I knocked on the door Izumi had swung it open and basically tackled me. Shisui-senpai had flickered away, likely to give the two of us privacy.

"Miyako-chan!" Izumi sniffled into my shoulder, "Where have you been?"

"Ah, something happened." I said awkwardly, "I'm sorry I couldn't come see you earlier."

"Well, whatever. You're here and I'm so happy to see you again!" Izumi squeezed me even harder.

She dragged me inside and we caught up for awhile. She told me about how she had graduated early and how she was on a team with two alright boys. They passed their genin test so she was happy to be a full genin since she saw a lot of the girls in her class had been shipped to the genin corps.

"Not that I had high hopes for some of them." she sniffed, "So many of them were more interested in boys than training."

I giggled, "I could see that in my class too."

"Speaking of that, when did this happen?" questioned Izumi, pointing to my hitai-ate.

I wasn't sure what to say, so I mumbled, "It's a pretty long story, and I'm not really too sure of it yet."

"Too sure of what happened? Or too sure of being a genin already?" Izumi, very smartly, questioned.

"I didn't really expect to skip the academy like I did." I admitted, "I'm seven years old and already a ninja."

Izumi put a hand on my shoulder. She smiled and rubbed my shoulder for a calming moment. Then she said, "Don't feel like everything is over. I've never seen you with such a gloomy look before. We're genin now. Things are just getting started for us."

Little did Izumi know, I was in the fast lane. But I appreciated the effort.

I didn't stay too long despite not having seen Izumi for a long time. I had dropped in unexpectedly and didn't want to be a bother, I also had an appointment with the Hokage. Izumi did make me promise to visit the cherry blossoms with her before the season got too hot and they started to wither. We also made plans for the following week to eat at a cafe together for lunch.

.

When I saw the third Hokage again, I felt very intimidated. His presence was a constant with his muted chakra in the tattoo on my bicep but everything felt different than it did nine months prior. He looked older, as if it had been years instead of months.

"How are you, Miyako-chan?" the Hokage inquired with a grandfatherly smile. His eyes even crinkled a bit, as if he was trying to convey he was asking in a friendly manner.

I bit my lip, "I've made progress. Dog-taichou taught me a lot-"

The Hokage calmly cut me off, "No, I'm not asking for a report on your progress. I want to know how you feel, Miyako-chan."

"Oh." I tried to force my face to relax but I must have looked more emotionally constipated than anything else because the Hokage had me sit down. He poured me some tea that I suspected he had planned to ease tensions.

I held the small cup between my hands, staring into it. The Hokage waited patiently for me to speak.

Finally I admitted, "I'm not really sure how I am."

"Would you like to elaborate a little?" the Hokage prompted.

I shrugged, "Seeing my friends again makes me feel more alive. But... the more I think about myself, the less confident I feel. I don't know what to tell my friends when they ask where I've been, nor do I really have an explanation about my sudden increase in ability and promotion to genin."

"You can tell whoever you like about your status as an ANBU trainee." the Hokage reminded me, "It is recommended that you keep it to yourself but that is your secret to tell. As long as you do not mention the incident, that is."

I nodded slowly, "I don't really want my friends to know about that. To know what I did."

I sipped my tea as my legs started to shake. I elaborated, "I want to tell them the cool new things I can do. I'm proud to have learned so much. I love learning. But something just doesn't feel right about me being me anymore."

"You did experience a great change. I would like to recommend you speak to someone. I won't force you, but you will have to pass the mental health exam as part of your biannual physicals." the Hokage told me.

Setting the now empty tea cup down I shook my head, "I would rather not." I simply had too much information that I didn't want to accidentally leak to someone. Especially since I suspected a Yamanaka would be involved.

"Of course. Do you have any other concerns?" the Hokage asked.

I sighed deeply, "I was kicked out of the orphanage."

"Pardon?" the Hokage, a little shocked, questioned. I repeated what I said and he suddenly had a dark look cross his expression. It went away as quickly as it came.

He cleared his throat, "That is an issue. I can arrange housing for you as you are a genin now. It will take some time to set up."

"I'm staying with a friend for now." I told him, adding, "Uchiha Shisui."

The Hokage's eyebrows moved upwards very slightly, "Fugaku-san allowed this?"

"I believe Shisui-senpai is expecting Mikoto-san to vouch for me. Fugaku-san didn't seem to have any issues with me the few times I've met him, though." I said.

The Hokage looked down at his desk for a moment. He seemed to think something over. He looked frail for the briefest moment.

Inhaling deeply, he finally said, "That sounds like an excellent arrangement. When housing is available I will call you in to speak again."

.

As I walked towards the Uchiha compound, musing about what the Hokage had been thinking during our meeting, Shisui-senpai dropped in next to me and started to walk beside me at my pace.

"How was Izumi?" he asked, bouncing off his heels.

"Happy to see me." I said.

Shisui-senpai laughed, "As expected. I was happy to see you too."

I smiled at that. I was glad. I had missed my friends.

"And don't worry, Itachi will be just as happy to see you when he gets back." Shisui-senpai promised, as if he had been reading my mind.

We returned to the compound and Shisui-senpai explained to the clan member who was sitting at the entrance who I was and that I was staying with him.

The man eyed me suspiciously, "Do you have permission for your friend to stay, Shisui?"

"Of course!" Shisui-senpai said, "Mikoto-san has known Miyako-chan since she was little."

The clan member, rather begrudgingly, signed me in and after we were out of earshot I rolled my eyes at Shisui-senpai.

"Did you actually ask permission?"

"No, but Mikoto-oba loves when you visit so I doubt she would say no." Shisui-senpai grinned like a mad man.

That night was a little awkward as Shisui-senpai and Kagami both tried to have me help make dinner with them. I wasn't very good at cooking, having little experience in this life, but it wasn't too bad. I could make rice, except their rice cooker was fancy but outdated. Dinner was a little less awkward with muted conversation about general topics.

When I retired to my room I situated all of my things neatly on the shelf and pulled the shikifuton to the middle of the room and I snuggled into it. It was kind of like a sleeping bag but a million times better. It was way softer and more comfortable. I snuggled into the blankets and I was asleep before I even had the chance to think about how wild my day had actually been.

* * *

 **AN:**

 **Hello, I'm home for the summer now! Hopefully that means I update more. :D**

 **Thank you so much for the support! Every time I got a review during the semester gave me the energy to keep going so I could find time to write a bit!**

 **Anyway, as for a kind of promise; Miyako is going to learn a lot more about being an ANBU soon so for the concerns over the training chapter, hopefully I can do a better job of explaining what she actually learned and what they actually were doing there. I really want to mention something, and that is this: Miyako is an unreliable narrator. She sees things and tells them how she sees them. She doesn't know what people around her are thinking 100% and I don't want to give away information that easily by making it obvious. As she grows she learns so while she may have learned something in that chapter, in a future chapter when she is older, she may be told something else that is closer to the adult truth because she is considered more mature and intelligent.**

 **Thanks to the following for reviewing (:**

 **nacheell  
Guest  
Shinra Izu  
GOOD SHIT (Thank you, this was funny!)  
madnessofmymind  
Guest  
HayaaShigure-kun  
Dark Rose Charm**


	9. Rest

**Twilight River**

 _Chapter 8_

 _Rest_

* * *

Shisui-senpai's house took a lot of getting used to. Kagami was awake before the sun on most days and Shisui-senpai surprisingly woke up early too. I tried to wake up with them but some days I just couldn't get myself functioning as quickly as them. I needed the sun to have already risen if I wanted to be active, to be honest. Waking up while it was still dark was kind of depressing.

"Isn't it nice watching the sun rise in the morning?" Shisui-senpai asked me as we sat on the edge of one of the open hallways.

I looked at him, eyes narrowed, wondering if he read my mind. But I answered him, "I mean, I guess. I think it's pretty to watch but I wish I woke up when the sun was already up."

Shisui-senpai hummed, "It is nice to sleep in."

"I don't mind waking up early." I amended, "I just find the world looks so much sadder when its dark and quiet in the early morning. It feels so silent compared to when the sun is up."

"That's... actually pretty accurate. I kind of like it though. How everything is quiet and lonely. It lets you think." Shisui-senpai remarked, sounding far away despite being right next to me.

I swung my legs, "I'd find myself thinking about sad, terrible things alone in the dark morning."

"I can understand that." Shisui-senpai agreed quietly, but then he looked over at me, "At least we aren't alone."

.

A week passed, and when I found myself on the training grounds for the first time since before ANBU, I was a little nervous standing across from Shisui-senpai. Itachi was supposed to be home from his mission soon and really, we had been waiting for him to meet on the training grounds, but Shisui-senpai had been losing patience in his excitement.

"We should spar!" he announced gleefully, that morning at breakfast. I had been a little befuddled, and I tried to remind him we were waiting for Itachi before I showed off any of the 'cool' things I learned but Shisui-senpai had all but dragged me to the training grounds. So that was how I had ended up in the warm sun on our preferred training grounds. I could hear the river rushing in the distance behind the trees. There had been a good amount of snow in the winter, I wondered if that had caused the rivers and lakes to overflow this late in the season?

I pouted at him as I crouched down to play with the grass, "I'd rather lay in the sun."

"You are pretty pale." Shisui-senpai remarked, but grinned, "You'll get plenty of sun while we spar."

I groaned rather dramatically and tossed some grass in his direction. Shisui-senpai simply gave me a mysterious grin and then, in a shunshin that didn't even have any smoke, he was in front of me. I reacted on instinct, mostly from remembering Dog's tendency to check my awareness by random attacks, and I rolled out of the way to kick grass in Shisui-senpai's direction. To be fair, I had forgotten the training field had actual plants and thought I was back in the dirt ANBU training grounds.

"Oh, good instinct, Miyako-chan!" Shisui-senpai praised, "Have you learned any jutsu?"

"Yes!" I huffed, grinning as I ran towards the river. Shisui-senpai was hot on my tail and closing the gap quickly. I kicked off a tree and Shisui-senpai whistled as I landed clumsily in the river and almost went under. I hadn't learned to water walk yet with there being no water sources in the ANBU base so I stayed about knee deep. I flashed through some hand signs and spat a water bullet at Shisui-senpai.

He whooped, flipped over it, and landed on top of the water further out into the river. He kicked some water at me to disguise his hand signs for a fireball and I got the hell out of the way while spitting another water bullet at him. My water bullet was annihilated by his fireball and I turned and ran towards the woods again. Shisui-senpai, not even hiding his joyful laughter, was on my heels.

I climbed a tree to try a dumb idea.

Shisui-senpai stopped at the base of the tree and smiled up at me. His smile grew even larger when two dark blue chains erupted from my back and I spun them, cutting the branches down and letting half the tree fall towards him.

"Good idea." Shisui-senpai praised, switching with a branch close to me, "That's a cool trick. How do those work?"

I held my chains close to me as Shisui-senpai inspected them. He went to touch but I shook my head and he admired from afar.

"Well, they _work_." I said while scratching my head, "A bit violently to be honest. I can't really control them well yet so I'm more a menace than anything else with them."

"Kekkei-Genkai?" Shishui-senpai questioned intelligently.

I nodded, "Uzumaki chakra chains."

"That's great!" Shisui-senpai sat on the branch. Taking our fight was over, I let go of the chains and felt a portion of my chakra wither away from me. I made a face and Shisui-senpai briefly looked like he was going to say something. But I plopped down on the branch and swung my feet cheerfully.

I looked up at the sky, "It's so nice being outside. It's so nice to be with a friend."

Shisui-senpai hummed in agreement.

It felt good to be outside again. It felt good to be with my friend again. It felt good to be... Miyako again.

.

I met with Dog on my eighth day of being free. We met on one of the outside training grounds with our full ANBU gear on. Dog looked me over critically before nodding to himself.

"Today, I am going to give you a basic rundown on the tanto I gave you." Dog informed me.

Nodding, I slid it out of its holster on my back. Dog gave me an hour long lecture on kenjutsu and the difference between a tanto and other weapons that would fall under the kenjutsu category. It was a fascinating subject and Dog took note of my interest in weapons, literally. He literally wrote it down on his dumb clipboard.

One we began actual training, things went relatively smoothly. Dog wanted to train my muscle memory first so I did one hundred of different strikes, repeating after a quick break between sets. My arms were going to fall off at one point so Dog switched to having me practice with my chains for a bit. I drained my chakra and then we went to sword sets.

My memory was decent, so Dog gave me the beginning to three sets and made sure I had the beginnings memorized before we quit practice for the day. We had spent from dawn to noon training and once Dog had left, I had shed my armor and put them in a sealing scroll. I intended to go back to Shisui-senpai's house and rest, but he had other ideas.

As soon as I stepped into the Uchiha clan grounds, Shisui-senpai dashed towards me, lifting me up and we were on the rooftops before I had really processed where we were.

"What are you doing?" I asked, swinging my arms around his neck. I trusted he wouldn't drop me but I wanted to make sure.

Shisui-senpai grinned down at me, "What _we_ are going to do is go shopping!"

I blinked, "Why?"

We touched down in the shopping district where the best blacksmiths, clothiers, and other general goods stores could be found. There were some market stalls outside storefronts and if we followed this road we would find ourselves in the open air market. Grocery stores were only just beginning and there was one in this area, but the market did better business still.

Shisui-senpai plucked the hair pin he had given me out of my hair, admiring me with a forced dramatic expression. I rolled my eyes but I was totally smiling.

"Your clothes are too small so we're going to get you new ones. Izumi-san is supposed to meet us here." Shisui-senpai explained with a grin, shushing me when I went to protest, "Nope you don't have a choice. We're going to get you nicer clothes than the orphanage ever gave you."

"Senpai I-"

"Nope."

I frowned, and tried again, "Money, Senpai-"

"I'm paying." he told me firmly, "No more arguing."

I frowned at him, "Honestly-"

"Miyako-chan," Shisui-senpai said very seriously, putting a hand on my shoulder, "Look at things from my perspective. You disappeared for almost a year. Then tell me you were kicked out of the orphanage. And even after this week, you seem sad."

I looked down at my feet and Shisui-senpai directed us towards an alley. He put his other hand on my other shoulder and leaned down so I had to look into his eyes. I saw my own eyes reflected in his black ones, my round blue-purple eyes starting to tear up the longer Shisui-senpai looked at me. I felt small under his gaze, like he could see into my heart and mind and know exactly what I had done these past few months.

I didn't want my friends to know. I didn't want them to know I had sliced two people into bits and chunks. I didn't want them to know I had been locked away, forced to train so that in the near future I would kill more people. I didn't want them to know the monster I could become. I didn't want them to know I was ANBU now, and that I had been forced into training my body harshly for months so that I could try comparing to other ANBU. I didn't want them to know that to be considered a new 'level' I had to fight people way beyond my level and survive long enough. I didn't want them to know that I was a little lying ANBU, small and not truly ready to deal with threats a real ANBU would face.

The time I spent in training... while worthwhile, had changed me in a way that I hated.

I uttered softly, "It's been a hard year."

"It's been a hard year for all of us without you." he agreed, "Itachi was worried. Izumi-san kept asking if we knew where you were. We won't ask you where you were, because clearly it upsets you, but we are your friends and we are here for you."

Sniffling, I wanted to ask him what he had done the year I had been gone. According to Shisui, Itachi had been worried, Izumi asking about me, but had Shisui-senpai been worried too? But instead I found myself silent, tears streaming down my face as I let myself cry for the first time in months. I had cried a few times, my first few nights in the barracks but I had quickly stopped because crying sapped energy I needed. Besides, Dog could always tell if I had cried. And I hated it when he said _shinobi rule 25, you must never show your tears._

Shisui-senpai leaned forward, resting his head on top of mine as he pulled me in for a hug.

"You looked like you needed a good cry." he whispered into my hair, "You can cry with me. I won't judge you."

I leaned my forehead on Shisui-senpai's chest, and complained quietly into him, "How dare you make me cry in an alleyway."

"You were supposed to cry tears of joy when we got you new clothes." he laughed quietly and I felt his voice rumble. I closed my eyes.

We stood there for another minute and I just enjoyed the contact of a hug. I hadn't realized how much I missed hugs. Just being in contact with one of my friends was enough to feel like I was healing. It made me feel even more like Miyako.

When I broke out of the hug, I told Shisui-senpai, "Thank you."

"What for?" he asked cheekily, "I just let you use me as a handkerchief, thats all."

"For being my friend." I informed him and Shisui-senpai smiled a big, blinding smile.

.

Shopping had been a small nightmare because Izumi and Shisui-senpai were able to agree on one thing; they wanted me to look cute. As they tried to hand me things to try on I had to knock out quite a few of the clothes. I liked the blue shirt I wore that was like a yukata top that I could tuck into my shinobi pants but Shisui-senpai and Izumi had their hearts set on a battle kimono.

At least we all agreed I looked damn good in blue.

Izumi bartered with all the shopkeepers over my clothes, wheeling and dealing to get things two for one, half price, etc. She was rather scary and rather good at it, so Shisui-senpai left that task to her. His job was making sure I cooperated because I refused some of the outfits that I saw the price tags on.

In the end, we stopped for a snack a few hours before dusk and I was a little exasperated with the bags of clothes. I hadn't had this many clothes before in this life and I was unsure of where to put them in Shisui-senpai's guest bedroom.

"This cake is delicious." Izumi mentioned, taking a piece with her spoon and trying to force it towards me, "Try some Miyako-chan!"

When I took that bite, Shisui-senpai offered me a bite of his dessert, which I unwillingly accepted.

I jumped when a plate was set down next to me and someone sat down. Looking to my side, I couldn't stop the big grin that stretched across my face when I realized who it was.

"Itachi!" I chirped happily, "You're back from your mission!" He had grown more. His hair was longer, his eyes older and his face looking like it lost most of his remaining baby fat. It was so good to see him again. I wanted to give him a hug but I refrained, instead just giving him the biggest smile I could.

Taking a bite of his dango, Itachi greeted me with his usual polite calmness, "Good to see you, Miyako-chan. How are you?"

Shisui-senpai, rather dramatically, remarked, "How can you ask that like you saw her last week? I know you've been waiting, so be excited!"

Itachi simply ignored him, shoving a piece of dango towards me and trying to get me to eat it. I accepted the sweets, as I always did.

I almost cried again. I was just so happy all my friends were together... nothing could have ruined it.

.

The next day, Dog held a mission scroll in his hands as he stood in front of me.

"You'll be assisting me on assassinations from now on. This will technically be your first one, be ready in an hour and meet at the West gate."

The emotional good high I had been riding on for just a day sank so very suddenly.

.

I told Shisui-senpai I would be gone on a mission for a few days. He had taken it rather badly, his eyes flashing sadly for a moment before he asked, "What kind of mission?"

"Well," I shrugged, and avoided the topic, "My mentor is taking me out of the village. I don't think it's going to be long, maybe two or three days."

"What about D Ranks?" Shisui-senpai asked, "Have you done any of those?"

I shook my head and Shisui-senpai frowned. Those were the starter missions, I knew he was thinking, how could she be going outside the village when she doesn't have a single D Rank to her name. I expected annoyance, anger, jealousy, fear.

Instead, Shisui-senpai put a hand on my head, "Be safe out there, Miyako-chan."

"I will." I told him.

I left the village with Dog quickly. The process to leave as an ANBU was rather easy, one look at your tattoo and the guards just take down your mask and have you flash your chakra to make sure it's you. Each ANBU also has a code they give when they leave and return, mine being 'Twilight'. I thought it was dumb but the Hokage probably chose it because of my name's meaning.

With my excitement at seeing outside the village very obvious, Dog gave me a few minutes to just run around the forest and practice my tree hopping. I blew a few branches clean off before I figured out how much chakra was enough to not blow up the branch. Dog seemed like he almost regret having to tell me we needed to leave, and that reminded me of what exactly we were leaving to do. My mood leveled out to be more moot, so we left.

Dog had us chakra run, silently laughing at me when I misjudged my attempts and ended up crashing through a tree branch. This happened a few more times throughout our run, whether I broke a branch, misjudged a leap, or any other possible error I could have made. The trip was long for me but Dog seemed to enjoy the entertainment of me screaming every time I fell out of the trees.

We debriefed when we stopped for a rest.

"You will only be observing on this mission, but our target is a man named Ryunosuke Taiga." Dog informed me, "We had the request to make it seem like an accident so it will be a silent kill. Can you think of ways to make a lord's death seem like an accident?"

I blinked under my mask, thought for a moment, and said, "Give him a heart attack?"

"He's young."

I thought about it, "He falls out his window."

Dog snorted, "Creative, but no."

I hummed, "Something heavy falls on him."

"Viable but annoying." Dog stood up, "Keep coming up with ideas as we move."

We started to run again, this time with me pitching ideas and falling off the trees more because I was focusing on two things at once.

"Poison."

"It's supposed to be an accident, Wolf-chan."

"Food poisoning, then. He could die from it if he gets dehydrated."

"He's a nobleman. He'll have the resources to survive that."

I ran into a branch. It gave me an idea.

"He falls down the stairs."

"How are you going to get him down those stairs when he has people around him at all times?" I mean, banana peel was going to be my response but I hadn't seen any bananas in the years I'd been here.

We reached the destination around night time and I was still guessing.

"He dies suddenly," I informed Dog rather dramatically, despite my mask making everything sound dull, "Cut off his blood flow and he dies."

Dog snorted, as he had done with many of my suggestions, "That could suggest foul play."

Suffocation was ruled out. Death by electrocution was out because the man didn't really have any electronics in his home. Drowning him in his bathtub was ruled out because it was a dumb idea, but I thought it was a perfectly fine idea.

"If he's drunk it's completely viable." I huffed under my breath, not intending for Dog to hear it. But he did. And he even considered it.

Dog thought about it, "Get him drunk then."

"Wait, what?"

I blinked at Dog, who responded, "Get him drunk then. I'll drown him in the bathtub if you can get him drunk."

"Why me? I thought I was just observing?" I complained, trying to convey that I was glaring at him through my mask.

Dog nodded, "Observing for the actual kill. You can help by being a beautiful lady who gets him drunk."

"I'm seven! What do I know about being a beautiful lady!" I pointed out.

I could feel Dog's amusement as he answered, "I'm sure you'll figure it out."

.

I hanged into what I thought an older Izumi would look like. Long brown hair, big dark eyes, flawless pale skin and a beauty mark. I admired my henge in the still water of the clearing I had found. I looked pretty damn good. Henges were a bit weird when you changed your form. It was an illusion but at the same time it wasn't. I knew it was possible for people to henge into non-human objects, which forced their body to twist and turn-

 _I could remember two men in a puddle. I could remember the Wave Arc._

-but I wasn't at that level yet. I could do a simple person to person henge and that was it, although I had needed to make myself an adult which took a few failed henges.

It was easy infiltrating the party our target was at. I climbed in through a window, suppressing my chakra and going through all the motions I had learned in my ANBU tag game. Once inside I let my chakra flow like a civilian's, slowly. I walked through the halls, feeling the straight, thin brown hair around me. I could tell it wasn't real, it had this strange feeling that Dog had explained only I would feel. To anyone else, my henge would feel real.

At the party our target was already drinking. He had another beautiful lady with him and as I approached, he eyed me quickly. I smiled at him, reaching across his chest for a drink. It was a little weird suddenly having went from being the height of a small seven year old to the height of a tall, slender woman. But I could still remember a life where I was this tall with long thin arms.

"And what's your name, miss?" the target asked me.

I smiled, "Izumi."

It was easier to get him drunk than I had expected. I kept getting both of us drinks. While I had been sipping at my drink, occasionally actually taking a sip, I had mostly been using my chakra to slowly evaporate the alcohol. Dog had taught me the trick as a chakra control exercise when we figured out my chakra nature. While the alcohol was definitely different than water and I didn't have the mastery to break down the alcohol completely yet, when we were several drinks in I had probably only drank enough for me to feel a bit tipsy.

Then I nearly fell off the stool I had been sitting daintily on.

Or I was a little drunk, forgetting I had the body of a seven year old.

I tripped up the stairs, giggling and a little nervous as the man followed me.

"I'ave to go now!" I told him, definitely slurring a bit, trying to skirt around and disappear into another hallway. He lumbered after me and despite the fact I was pretty drunk, I was still a ninja and he was only a civilian. It took a few minutes, but I had lost him and had planted the idea of a nice bath in his mind. After the party had ended a little later he did exactly that, and I was in the shadows watching when Dog had snuck behind him and forced his head under the water. He didn't flail much, hardly spilling any water out of the tub.

When the man was dead, Dog rearranged him a bit to suggest he had fallen asleep and slipped further into the tub. He deposited a few more glasses around him, to suggest more drinking, and then we were on our way back to Konoha.

Dog carried me on his back, sighing when he smelled my breath, "Just because you're an adult once you receive your hitai-ate, doesn't mean you should drink, little Wolf-chan."

I hiccuped, then dropped my head on his shoulder, "I tried to eva-po-evaporate it. Like the chakra trick." Dog considered what I had said for a moment.

"Good thinking. Just practice more with it." Dog told me and I fell asleep to the lull of Dog gliding through the air.

.

We reached Konoha with me trying to hold back my nausea. After I had woken up to Dog moving far faster than I had been going on the way there, motion sickness suddenly reminded me I had just drank. Dog was aware enough to pluck me off his back when I puked and he held me under my arms like a toddler as I emptied the contents of my stomach.

"My mask is going to smell bad now." I complained, holding it away from my face and pouting at Dog.

I'm sure he rolled his eyes at me under his mask as he told me, "Just live with it for two more hours."

And we reached Konoha in an hour, then we went and reported in not to the Hokage, but the ANBU General.

The ANBU General was a large, ambiguously gendered figure with a mask that resembled a cat and an ornate white decorated cloak. There were stripes coming from the sides of the feline mask, curving in fiercely in well handled strokes. To be honest, this mask was one of the better ANBU masks. I had been rather lucky with Dog giving me an intimidating one, but I had seen a Crane that had ridiculous wavy things on the very edges of their mask that I hoped were meant to represent wings.

"Tiger-sama," Dog took a knee and I followed his lead, "Wolf and I successfully eliminated our target."

The ANBU General, Tiger, nodded and asked, voice sounding either like a sensual deep woman's voice or a smooth male one's, "How did Wolf do?"

"She performed above expectations." Dog answered tonelessly, "Wolf was able to identify several possible methods of eliminating the target that were viable to the parameters we were given and she was able to sustain chakra running the entire way there. I tasked Wolf with influencing the target, which she performed acceptably. Under the henge of a young woman she was able to charm our target into consuming a large amount of alcohol, while Wolf was able to use a chakra training technique to prevent herself from consuming the same amount. There was some fault here, where Wolf had consumed enough for her to feel the influences and I carried her back to the village."

"And the assassination technique?" The ANBU General sounded, in a hardly notable way, amused.

Dog was able to, very seriously, report, "I drowned our target in the bathtub."

Tiger actually snorted at that, "Mission succeeded, then. Good work. Report back in three days for another."

Then Tiger turned to me. They knelt down so they were closer to my eye level and behind the shadows and black fabric of the mask, I could almost see a flash of blue eyes, "Good first assasination, Wolf. Continue to learn under Dog and I expect you will become a formidable shinobi."

I bowed my head, uttered a thank you, and we were dismissed. Dog told me to meet him on the training field at the usual time the following day and I stopped in the ANBU barracks to take a power nap before returning to Shisui-senpai's house. It was about three in the morning, and I hadn't slept the night before this one. Dog and I had run for hours to get to where we had been going, and then Dog had carried me back.

Not to mention I was still feeling pretty awful from drinking. I completely blame Dog for letting a seven year old drink alcohol.

Hawk saw me as I tried to crawl onto an empty bunk and cheerfully waved, "Oh Wolf-chan! You're back so soon." There were a few angry murmurs from various ANBU but they all rolled back over to ignore Hawk as he came towards me. He plopped down on my bunk next to me, his dumb bird mask mocking me.

I tried to convey the dark expression I was giving him under my mask, but Hawk only laughed and ruffled my hair. He hummed, "First mission?"

"Yes." I nodded, "I'm going to rest now."

Hawk took that sentence to mean 'Oh Hawk, I would love for you to bother me!' and I ended up stuck with Hawk until I felt like the sun was probably starting to rise. I left the barracks after Horse, who had been trying to nap on a nearby bunk, had gotten tired of Hawk's talking and chased him off. I figured it was around morning then so I left, and I was right in that the sun was rising.

I walked back to the Uchiha compound and changed quickly in an alley just outside the compound before I dove over the wall and ran towards Shisui-senpai's house. I quietly entered through the back sliding porch, intent on getting straight to bed, but Kagami was awake with the dawn and caught me.

"Oh, welcome back Miyako-chan." he greeted me pleasantly, "Can you go wake up Shisui?"

I nodded, despite the fact I wanted nothing less than to wake up Shisui-senpai because then I was sure Shisui-senpai wouldn't let me go to sleep. But I told Kagami I would and I knocked on Shisui-senpai's door before sliding it open. Shisui-senpai was already sitting up by the time I peaked in, wiping at his eyes. Shisui-senpai had a futon in his room and it was less traditional than the rest of the house. He had a desk covered in things pushed to one side while weapons and other equipment were scattered about.

"Wel-come back," Shisui-senpai yawned, "Miyako-chan."

He told me I could come in, then belatedly looked around his room in half-awake stupor. He sighed as I sat on the edge of his futon, "I forgot to clean. I wanted your first impression of my room to be when it was neater."

"It's lived in." I told him warmly. Shisui-senpai adjusted so he had his back against the wall and he pat next to him. I sat next to him and we both watched the morning light start to filter in through his drawn closed curtains.

"How was your mission?" he asked.

"Not bad." I told him, but he had reminded me of my slow pounding headache and I leaned my head back against the wall, "Weird and long, I suppose."

Shisui-senpai laughed at that, "How so?"

I paused for a moment to decide how to spin the story of me drinking alcohol without having to explain it was for an assassination, "Well, I was supposed to gather information, you see. And the man I was supposed to get it from was drinking alcohol-"

"Tell me you drank it." Shisu-senpai sputtered, laughing when I nodded.

"It wasn't on purpose." I insisted, "I tried to get around it. Anyway, my mentor had to carry me back to the village and I almost puked on him."

Shisui-senpai laughed again, and he took a few moments to collect himself before he could look at me without chuckling. I giggled too but my head was really starting to pound.

With a smaller smile on his lips, Shisui-senpai whispered, "Don't worry Miyako-chan. I'll tell you about my first time with alcohol."

I blinked at him slowly, "You too?"

"Not on a mission," his voice was low and in my ear, probably so that Kagami wouldn't hear, "So when we get our hitai-ate we're officially considered adults. A few months ago one of my senpai was hazing me and told me I had to go to the bar with him as part of an initiation ritual."

"I see." I replied, feeling my head start to droop as my body started to realize I was in a safe place to just drop unconscious. I tried to force my eyes to stay open but Shisui-senpai's voice, low and warm in my ear, was incredibly soothing.

"Well, I went to the bar with him and the bartender took one look at me, thirteen, and then at my hitai-ate and he said-"

Without knowing it, I fell asleep.

While I was asleep though, Shisui-senpai finished his story quietly, dozing off as he got further along in the story until he had also fallen asleep. When Kagami came to retrieve us some time later he came across the two of us leaning against each other and both of us snoring loudly. Kagami had obviously decided to go find a camera to take a picture with and that photograph ended up on the wall before we had even woken up from sleeping.

.

Shisui-senpai was the first to wake up, and he woke me up when he realized we had fallen asleep by jumping and letting me fall over abruptly.

"Ughghhhh." I complained, inhaling Shisui-senpai's scent from the blankets. I was pleased to know it smelled as good as I had hoped, smoky like a late fall evening. Whatever smell Shisui-senpai used; I approved. That didn't stop me from giving a sheepish Shisui-senpai the stink eye though.

"Sorry Miyako-chan," he apologized, "I didn't realize we fell asleep and grandfather is going to kill us."

"You." I said, "He'll kill you. I however, am going back to sleep."

I closed my eyes and refused to budge even when Shisui-senpai poked me.

"Miyaaaakooo-chan, it's time to wake up!" he insisted, being purposefully annoying as he tried to roll me over. I groaned in response and threw my arm over my face.

Shisui-senpai picked me up, to which I let myself ragdoll and Shisui-senpai huffed, "Why must you be like this."

I grinned at him but kept my eyes closed and my body heavy. Shisui-senpai gave up as I started to immediately doze off again. And he left me there. I slept for a few hours and when I woke up, Shisui-senpai had draped a blanket over me and had put a pillow under my head.

Inhaling the smell of safety and friendship, I let my eyes close again.

* * *

 **AN:**

 **This chapter was really hard to write. Next chapter will hopefully be easier, since everyone is together again. I intend for Miyako to clear up her skill level soon, as she is certainly not at real ANBU level from her training. Please keep in mind that Miyako is an** **unreliable first person narrator, and she hears things from people who may be deceiving her, mishears things, and assumes.**

 **I am like, 75% happy with this chapter, by the way.**

 **As I am in college, the next update may either be March or May. If I have time to write, which my schedule is currently not suggesting I will, there may be an earlier update.**

 **Thank you for reading.**

 **And thank you so much to the following for reviewing (:**

 **Kragh50  
Dark Rose Charm  
Nivellia Neil  
Shion Lee  
jmb1rdb  
Tonegawa Rie  
chloemika  
Naomipy  
Mestre720  
Uriess  
Guest**


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